In 2011, the Offender Database recorded that Femi Ismail, then 19, of Lambeth, South London, was jailed for his role in the gang rape of a 16-year-old girl. On Friday, 20 May 2011, Ismail appeared at Southwark Crown Court, where he was handed a nine-year custodial sentence. The court heard that Ismail, who had been a promising footballer poised to sign a contract with Brentford FC, took part in the “terrifying” attack alongside three other men.
The investigation established that in 2010, Ismail and his three friends—Joshua Anyanwu, then 20, Eduardo Monteiro, then 19, and Aaron Birch, then 20—led their victim into a public garden in Westminster late at night. The group then took turns to assault the 16-year-old girl. Bedfordshire Police and the Metropolitan Police investigated the group after the victim reported the ordeal. All four defendants were convicted following a trial at Southwark Crown Court in April 2011.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that the four men had acted together to trap and assault the “terrified” teenager in the Westminster area. Southwark Crown Court heard that the crime was particularly grave due to the joint enterprise nature of the attack. The judge noted that despite Ismail’s potential career as a professional footballer, the severity of the gang rape necessitated a substantial prison term to protect the public and reflect the trauma inflicted upon the victim.
The judge noted that the group had led the girl into a secluded public garden specifically to carry out the assaults. For his actions in Westminster, Ismail was sentenced alongside Anyanwu and Monteiro from Pimlico, and Birch from Central London. The prosecution reported that the survivor’s testimony was instrumental in securing the unanimous guilty verdicts against all four predators.
Sentence and Statutory Requirements
For his crimes in England, Femi Ismail was handed:
- Custodial Sentence: Nine years in prison.
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements are in effect for life.
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Southwark Crown Court following a trial and conviction.
- Co-defendants Joshua Anyanwu, Eduardo Monteiro, and Aaron Birch each received nine-year sentences.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Ismail is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by the Metropolitan Police Service and the prison estate. Due to the “terrifying” nature of the gang rape in Westminster, his management is subject to the highest level of oversight by the Public Protection Unit.
As a member of the Sex Offenders Register, Ismail must comply with notification requirements regarding any future residence in Lambeth, South London, for the rest of his life. Authorities state that his life-long registration is a vital component of his risk management plan to ensure public safety. Any breach of his registration conditions or the terms of his licence upon release will result in immediate arrest and a return to Southwark Crown Court.
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