Illegal Immigrant Sexually Assaulted 16 Year Old Girl

A shocking case - which led to just a 15 month prison sentence for the violent criminal.

From Cambridge News Online:

A SCHOOLGIRL who was subjected to a vile sex attack by a service station cashier has told of her ordeal.

Illegal immigrant Gayan Hapuachchige ambushed the teenager in the toilets of the BP supplied Pace garage in Huntingdon Road, Cambridge.

The Sri Lankan's brave young victim, who gave evidence at his trial, is furious her attacker was jailed for 15 months - and could be out in days.

The 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was caught short while out in the city and went to the garage to use the loos.

It was then that the 28- year-old followed her into the toilet and sexually assaulted her.

She said: "I was about to come out through the door when he pushed me back in. He started touching me and kept telling me it was OK, saying 'I'm not doing anything wrong'.

"I was really shocked and shaken - it was horrible.

I was really scared. I just kept saying to him 'Stop it, get off me'."

But the quick-thinking teen managed to phone her two friends, who were outside during the assault.

She said: "I just pressed last call dialled. We'd been having a slumber party and had gone to meet another friend. He saw me making the calls and stopped.

"When I got out of the toilet and my two friends were there he said it was alright because he was 17."

Hapuachchige was handed a 15-month sentence for sexual assault after he was found guilty at Cambridge Crown Court.

He will be deported when he completes the sentence and has been put on the Sex Offenders' Register for 10 years.

But because he has already served nine and a half months on remand, he could be free in days.

His victim said: "I don't think it's long enough for what he did. It's been awful for me and I am scared to go out. He has damaged my life."

The young girl has been praised by police for her bravery.

Det Con Karen Brown said: "This was a frightening situation for a young girl to be put into. It's not what you expect when you try to use the facilities of a garage in a place you are meant to be safe.

"She was very upset of course but she has been a very brave girl throughout.

She has had a lot of support by specially trained officers."

The teenager praised police and encouraged other victims of sexual assaults to come forward.

She said: "They have been absolutely fantastic. They have really been great and were there for me every step of the way."

A spokesman for Pace Petroleum, which owns the Huntingdon Road garage, said: "The person no longer works at the service station and neither does his employer, the retailer at the location.

"We were made aware of some issues around staff employment at this site.

"As soon as the issue was discovered we, Pace Petroleum, took steps to resolve it and ensured that the retailer and various members of his staff were removed, having been identified as not being legally allowed to work in this country."