Man arrested 24 hours after rape offence is jailed

A man has been jailed for rape after officers identified and arrested him less than 24 hours after the offence was reported to police.

Michael Chand, 46 (10.02.78) was previously found guilty of three counts of rape and one count of assault following a trial at Wood Green Crown Court on Friday, 16 February.

He appeared at the same court on Wednesday, 24 April where he was sentenced to life imprisonment to serve a minimum of ten years.

Chand initially claimed that the victim had instigated the contact between them and pursued his company. By analysing phone data, officers proved that this was a lie and helped build their evidence against him.

Detective Constable Cameron Crighton, who led the investigation, said: “Chand is a sexual predator who subjected the victim in this case to horrendous sexual and physical abuse.

“The victim showed incredible bravery by coming forward to police, providing a full account of what had happened and then reliving this by giving evidence in court. She is central to this conviction and we do not underestimate the strength it has taken for her to do this.

“We take all reports of sexual assault extremely seriously and encourage anyone who has been subject to such offending to come forward and speak to us.”

On Friday, 18 August 2023, a woman called police to say she had been raped by a man she had recently met.

She told officers she had met Chand less than a week earlier and struck up a friendship.

On Wednesday, 16 August Chand called the victim to come to his address in Acacia Gardens, N22.

He asked her if she found him attractive and when she did not provide the answer he wanted, he became verbally abusive and angry.

He told her she was not allowed to leave the house and began hitting her and threatening to be violent towards her and others she knew.

The victim repeatedly told Chand she did not want to have sex with him but he continued to physically assault her before raping her on three separate occasions.

Following her report to police, detectives began an immediate search for Chand, who had left London.

On his return later the same day, he was arrested and taken into custody before being charged.