Man convicted of sexual assault charged with 17 years in prison

The Luton-based delivery driver was already convicted of three counts of assault by beating in October 2020

Charles Akpoveta, 33, was sentenced to 17 years in jail (Metropolitan Police)

A 33-year-old man has been sentenced to 17 years in prison after he sexually assaulted a woman he met through social media.

Charles Akpoveta was sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Monday 17 January, following a trial in November 2021 that found him guilty of four counts of rape, three counts of assault by penetration, three counts of sexual assault and one count of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without their consent.

The Luton-based delivery driver was already convicted of three counts of assault by beating in October 2020.

The court heard how he drove from Luton to Tower Hamlets, London, to meet a 28-year-old woman he had met via social media in February 2020.

The pair then went to the woman’s flat where they had consensual sex.

Afterwards, Mr Akpoveta became aggressive. The court heard how he spat in the woman’s face.

When asked to leave, Mr Akpoveta refused and instead locked and chained the front door of the flat.

Over the next two to three hours, Mr Akpoveta carried out a number of assaults on the woman, police said. These included beating, biting, strangling and urinating on her.

The woman was able to call Metropolitan Police officers who were then able to arrest Mr Akpoveta.

He was taken to an east London police station and subsequently charged with multiple offences, the Met said.

Detective Constable Matthew Cooksey, who investigated the case, said that Mr Akpoveta claimed that everything was consensual and commended the victim for her “unwavering commitment” to working with police throughout the trial.

He said: “First and foremost, I would like to commend the victim of these attacks for her bravery and determination throughout the investigation, in particular dealing with two cross examinations across two trials and her unwavering commitment to working with detectives throughout. Her strength of character is inspiring.

“Throughout our investigation, Mr Akpoveta paraded as a man who had been wrongly accused, claiming that everything which he subjected the victim to was consensual. This couldn’t have been further from the truth.

“I hope that today’s result will give the victim some respite, and also demonstrate the Met’s determination in ending violence against women and girls and bringing predatory offenders to justice.”