‘Dangerous’ rapist who preyed on lone women jailed for life

A predatory rapist has been jailed for life after targeting lone women walking home late at night.
Mateusz Otfinowski, 23, of Lord Street, Morecambe, has been jailed for life for raping two women.Mateusz Otfinowski, 23, of Lord Street, Morecambe, has been jailed for life for raping two women.
Mateusz Otfinowski, 23, of Lord Street, Morecambe, has been jailed for life for raping two women.

One woman was raped in the street and another in her own bedroom after Mateusz Otfinowski, 23, broke into her home after walking with her after she left a pub.

Preston Crown Court also heard a chilling account of how Otfinowski, of Lord Street, Morecambe, climbed through a window at a flat shared by three female students intending to commit a sex offence but the girls had locked their bedroom doors when they went to bed.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Handing down a sentence of life imprisonment, the Recorder of Preston Judge Anthony Russell QC said: “You are a real danger to women.”

Charles Brown, prosecuting, told the court Otfinowski, who came to the UK from Latvia as a teenager, had preyed on the women who were drunk and vulnerable.

On March 3 last year he met a student who was walking home alone after falling out with her friends on a night out in Lancaster.

The woman had lost her way and Otfinowski told her he lived in the same area and would walk with her.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But after walking and talking for a short distance predatory Otfinowski demanded the woman performed a sex act and when she refused he became violent, raping her three times before leaving her distressed and traumatised in the street.

The woman reported the attack and DNA was taken but did not match any samples recorded on the national database.

On July 26 Otfinowski struck again, targeting a single mum who was walking home alone after celebrating a wedding in Morecambe.

He again told her he lived in the same area and walked her home.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The woman left him close to her home and went to bed but woke a short time later to find she was being raped and a man’s hand was over her mouth.

She did not see her attacker but DNA taken from her matched the sample taken from Oftinowski’s first victim.

A fingerprint was also found on the window frame of the student flat which again did not match any samples on police records but when Oftinowski was arrested following inquiries his DNA and fingerprints were matched.

Chris Hudson, defending, said his client had taken to walking the streets at night as his partner was working and was tired in the evenings.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

However he soon realised there were drunk women he could take advantage of.

Otfinowski pleaded guilty to rape and trespass with intent to commit a sexual offence.

Judge Russell QC said: “The effects of such violations as these victims suffered will never go away. Particularly at times of stress memories may come again.

“To say these are terrible offences is not enough. It is difficult to put it into words.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“In my judgement the offences of rape and attempted rape you have pleaded guilty to are so serious as to justify a life sentence.”

Otfinowski will serve a minimum term of seven and a half years in prison before he can apply for parole.

Detective Inspector Richard McCutcheon said: “Otfinowski subjected each of his victims to a terrifying ordeal. These were despicable crimes committed against lone, vulnerable women who were targeted late at night.

“I am pleased with the sentence handed down to Otfinowski today and I hope it brings some closure to his victims. I would like to praise them for the tremendous courage they have shown throughout the investigation.

“Thankfully cases like this are rare and I would urge anyone who has been the victim of a rape or sexual assault in any circumstances to come forward and report the crime to us.”

Related topics: