Watch: Moment man who raped woman in park chased by police and arrested
A man has been jailed for more than five years after raping a woman in a park as footage shows the moment he was chased down and arrested by police.
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Awalkhan Sultankhail attacked his victim on Golden Hillock Road in Small Heath, Birmingham, at around 4pm on August 27, 2023.
He had initially approached the woman and attempted to strike up a conversation with her.
When she walked away, he followed her into bushes in a park and raped her.
Sultankhail fled when he was disturbed by a member of the public, who called the police.
The victim was able to provide a description of her attacker and police were able to recover CCTV footage of him.
Two West Midlands Police student officers, PCs Declan McDevitt and Peter Jones, were carrying out reassurance patrols in the area four days later when they spotted Sultankhail and ran after him.
Video footage released by the force shows the moment the 24-year-old rapist was chased before he was eventually cornered on Ladypool Road at the junction of Beechfield Road in Sparkbrook and arrested.
PC Jones said: “I was just concentrating on not letting him get away, due to the nature of the offence.
"I was also concentrated on communicating using my radio to other officers and the control room by letting them know where the suspect was running, in order to get more officers there in case we lost him in the foot chase.
“I felt immensely proud of myself and PC McDevitt as we have caught someone who has committed an horrific offence in broad daylight.
“I went home that day feeling satisfied that I have helped the victim get one step closer getting to the justice she deserves, and knowing that he won’t be able to commit another offence for a long time.”
In interview, Sultankhail denied ever speaking to or following the victim, but with the help of CCTV, forensic and witness evidence, he later plead guilty.
On December 20 at Birmingham Crown Court, Sultankhail, of Anderton Road, Birmingham, was jailed for five years and three months and ordered to spend a further four years on licence.
Supt Emlyn Richards, from Birmingham Police, said: “This was absolutely first-rate work by these two officers, who have only relatively recently joined us.
“The footage shows how the two refused to let the suspect get away, and thanks to their determination, he’s now going to be spending many years behind bars.”
