A DEVIOUS rapist has been jailed for six years after he tricked a woman into thinking they were old school friends.

Noormal Nazari, 31, of Charlville Drive, Calcot, met his victim, a woman in her 30s, for the first time on August 19, 2016 in Reading.

However, after striking up a conversation with her managed to convince her that they had met 17 years earlier.

The 31-year-old was sentenced today (Friday, 6 July) at Winchester Crown Court following what the court heard was a deliberate act of deception. 

After saying they had met 17 years earlier, his victim said she thought she recognised him and believed the defendant to be someone she knew from school.

Nazari played along and arranged to meet the woman for a “catch up”, despite knowing that he had not only never met her but had not even been in the UK when she was at school.

The day following the pairs first meeting, Nazari picked the woman up and took her to Basingstoke where they spent the evening drinking in a pub.

The court heard that the pair later moved on to a club, during which time the victim was bought so much alcohol that she began to feel unwell and asked Nazari to drive her home.

In another act of dishonesty, Nazari claimed he too was too drunk to drive and took the victim to a Holiday Inn on Grove Road in the early hours of August 21, 2016 where he raped her.

Nazari was found guilty of rape following a unanimous jury verdict, and was jailed the same day for six years.

Following the court hearing, DC Clare Hughes, leading the investigation, said: “Nazari is a devious sexual predator who thought he could get away with plying the victim with so much alcohol that she would become too vulnerable to protect herself from him.

“From the moment he saw the victim he began planning his despicable attack. “She thought she was going out for a catch up with an old friend from school. She hadn’t seen this person for so long that she did not realise the man in front of her was in fact not the person he was purporting to be.

“I am pleased with the outcome of today’s hearing and that Nazari is now behind bars.

“I want to thank the victim for her unwavering bravery and courage, and the fact that in the face of adversity she has remained strong through what was no doubt a very difficult two year period.” .