Met investigation leads to man being jailed for rape

A Met investigation into a semi-professional footballer who raped a woman in Romford has resulted in him being sentenced to 16 years' imprisonment.

Nathan Ashton, 37 (30.01.87) of no fixed address was sentenced at Reading Crown Court on Tuesday, 16 July.

The woman reported the attack to police and officers launched an investigation. Ashton was brought in for questioning to a local police station and denied the claims of rape, maintaining that the sex was consensual. The jury found otherwise.

Detective Sergeant Ben Wallen who led the investigation, said: “Our officers were meticulous in their investigation against Ashton and secured a great outcome as a result.

“The victim survivor is extremely brave reporting this to the police and we encourage all victims to come forward and speak with our specialist officers to help remove these prolific offenders off our streets.

“We remain dedicated in providing support to rape victims and protecting women and girls from predatory offenders, and I would encourage anyone who has been a victim to go to the police.”

The rape took place in the early hours of 19 February 2023 after Ashton and the woman attended a bar in Shoreditch with friends.

The woman and her two friends left the bar and were offered a lift home by Ashton. She reported to officers that Ashton had been touching her inappropriately throughout the night, leaving her feeling guarded and vulnerable as a result.

Once they arrived at the address in Romford, Ashton decided to stay with the three women. They all decided to go to bed and fell asleep in different rooms, after which Ashton entered the victim’s room and raped her.

+ The Met are doing more to address violence against women and girls. Listening to victim-survivors, and working together with charities and partners across the criminal justice system, we’re working to ensure that all victims-survivors have the confidence to report these most awful crimes.

At the heart of our new approach in investigating rape, the Met have a greater focus on the suspect’s life, with a shift away from the ‘credibility’ of the victim-survivor. This means that the victim goes through a less invasive process when reporting an incident such as rape, which officers know is already an incredibly difficult time for them.