A court in the UK has sentenced a 39-year-old man, Guy Mukendi, to four years in prison for removing the condom he wore while having sex with a woman without her knowledge, despite her initially consenting to sex only if he wore protection.
Under English law, non-consensual condom removal is sometimes referred to as ‘stealthing’ and is classified as rape.
The young woman made a report of sexual assault to the police and said she had consented to sex with Mukendi on condition that a condom was to be used.
The police obtained texts of messages where he apologised for taking his condom off and claimed he did so because he had not had sex in a long time.
The woman took screenshots of the messages before Mukendi deleted them.
He denied rape but was convicted and sentenced at Inner London Crown Court to four years and three months in prison.
Detective Constable Jack Earl, who led the investigation, said:
‘‘Throughout this investigation Mukendi denied any wrongdoing.
“But our officers built a compelling case against him to leave no doubt in the jury’s mind.
“We were dedicated to securing justice for the victim and will continue to raise awareness that this crime is a form of rape.
“The victim did the right thing to call the police straight away and her bravery should not be overshadowed.
“If you have been a victim of sexual violence and not yet reported it, please contact your local police service and we will do all that we can to help and bring you justice,” he said.
Kate Holmes, Head of Sexual Violence Helplines at Survivors Gateway, said:
“Survivors of sexual violence in London can contact the Survivor’s Gateway on 0808 801 0860 to be connected with support.
“Our Navigators provide a confidential, non-judgmental space, and can make referrals for counselling as well as practical advocacy support,” she said.