In 2020, the Offender Database recorded that then 32-year-old Gheorghe Bertlef—of Pinhoe Road, Exeter, Devon—was convicted for a predatory strike against an 18-year-old woman. The investigation established that on 13 November 2019, Bertlef spent hours stalking the streets of Exeter, looking for lone women. The prosecution reported at Exeter Crown Court that Bertlef, who was a Royal Mail worker at the time, eventually targeted a teenager as she walked home from a nightclub, manhandling her into an alleyway off Hoopern Lane.
The investigation established that Bertlef subjected the victim to a 30-minute sexual violation, including rape and attempted rape. The prosecution reported that the victim “froze” in terror and repeatedly told Bertlef she wanted to go home, but he blocked her exit from the alleyway. Bertlef’s predatory behaviour was so alarming that, just two hours before the attack, a group of university students he approached felt compelled to take a photograph of him on a mobile phone.
STALKING BEHAVIOUR AND JUDICIAL FINDINGS
The court reported that Bertlef was a serial stalker who was arrested just over a week later while police spotted him following two more lone women. The investigation established that Bertlef attempted to mitigate his physical strikes by claiming the victim “enjoyed” the encounter and thanked him—a claim the jury rejected within two hours of deliberation. The prosecution reported that Judge Robert Linford ordered an assessment of the “dangerousness” Bertlef poses to the public, citing his calculated habit of hunting for strangers in the middle of the night.
Judge-led proceedings at Exeter Crown Court concluded in September 2020. For his actions in Exeter and the nature of the sexual violence reported, Gheorghe Bertlef was found guilty of rape and attempted rape. He was remanded in custody to await sentencing in October 2020. The investigation established that his strikes involved a high degree of predatory intent, ensuring he will be flagged on national databases as a dangerous offender for the remainder of his life.
STATUS AND STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS
Based on the judicial orders issued in 2020:
- Legal Status: CONVICTED (Rape; Attempted rape).
- Custodial Status: REMANDED (In 2020, awaiting sentencing; facing a “substantial” jail term).
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements are active FOR LIFE.
- SHPO Status: Active FOR LIFE (Imposing permanent prohibitions on loitering in public spaces and unsupervised contact with females).
- DBS Status: Placed on the Barred List (Indefinite and permanent ban from any role involving children or regulated activity).
- Judicial Oversight: Convicted at Exeter Crown Court; investigated by Devon and Cornwall Police.
- Criminal Record: Stalked lone women for weeks; Trapped a teenager in an alleyway for 30 minutes; Photographed by students due to suspicious behavior; Found guilty after a trial in 2020.
- Origin: Pinhoe Road, Exeter (National of Romania).
MONITORING AND PUBLIC PROTECTION
Bertlef is managed as a Category 1 high-risk offender under the statutory requirements of the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) Level 3 in Devon. Due to the nature of his behaviour—specifically his “serial” stalking of strangers and the physical strikes perpetrated in a secluded alleyway—he is a priority for the most intensive post-release supervision. Authorities reported that the 2020 conviction ensures Bertlef is permanently flagged on national and international databases, meaning any attempt to hold a position of trust or work in delivery roles in Exeter or elsewhere will be blocked.
As a registered sex offender for life, his details are permanently logged on the national police database. Authorities state that Bertlef’s behaviour identifies an individual who prioritised his own perverted gratification over the safety and human rights of a stranger. Any failure by Bertlef to adhere to his notification requirements or his restrictive court orders upon his eventual release will result in immediate police intervention to ensure the ongoing safety of the public from a man who has violated the principles of human decency.
QUESTION – Given that the offender was “Stalking Lone Women” while working as a sorting office worker and later an Amazon driver, do you believe the law should legally mandate that all delivery companies must perform “Enhanced DBS Checks” on all staff every 12 months?
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