Woman left 'paralysed with fear' during predator's sexual assault in Leeds park
He met the woman on social media and took her for a drive
A pervert sexually assaulted a woman in his car after driving her to a secluded spot.
Tinashe Mkuhlani was jailed at Leeds Crown Court this week for the attack that took place while he parked up at Roundhay Park.
The woman later said she was left “paralysed with fear” and “lucky to be alive” after the sickening ordeal.
Mkuhlani was also convicted of stalking an ex partner and making her life a misery, repeatedly calling her and sending vindictive messages and even falsely claiming she had HIV.
Prosecutor Brian Russell said Mkuhlani and that woman had been a relationship for around a year from early 2022, but he began to behave aggressively and erratic.
He then “pursued a constant course of harassment”, posting pictures of her on his social media accounts, sending abusive messages and calling her while withholding his number.
Then in late 2023, he met the second woman over social media and invited her for a late-night drive.
The woman “set her boundaries” clearly, Mr Russell said, which Mkuhlani ignored.
He drove her to a spot in Roundhay Park and began kissing her aggressively and groping her.
After stopping, he then drove to a shop and returned to the park, where he assaulted her again.
In a victim impact statement, read by Mr Russell, she said: “The only thing in his mind was his gratification.
“I had paralysing fear that something terrible was going to happen.
“I feel lucky to be alive. I remember fearing for my life.”
She said she was left with an “intense feeling of shame”.
Mkuhlani, formerly of Amberton Crescent, Gipton, admitted stalking, sexual assault and causing a female to engage in non-penetrative sexual activity. He has two previous convictions for seven offences, including racially-aggravated harassment.
Mitigating, Jessica Strange said he fully accepted the offences. He has bipolar disorder and said his mental health “fluctuated” during the time of his offending.
She said: “He does very much regret his actions and the distress he has caused to both complainants.”
She added that he was “ordinarily a polite and educated man” having completed a masters degree.
The judge, the Recorder of Leeds, Guy Kearl KC, told Mkuhlani that he continued to minimise his offending.
He jailed him for three-and-a-half years and gave him an indefinite-length restraining order against both victims.
He was also put on the sex offender register for 10 years.