May 2022

Teenage girl was kidnapped, repeatedly raped and attacked with nunchucks

Abdul Howe, 21, and Ajani Williams, 21, were convicted of several offences at Isleworth Crown Court yesterday (May 17).

In September 2020, the victim, then aged 17, attended Lewisham police station to report that she had been kidnapped and raped.

She explained that she had been taken from her home in Ipswich by Abdul Howe, a man she initially got to know over social media before meeting in London.

Howe had groomed and exploited her as part of his County Lines operation which ran drugs from the capital to Ipswich.

After first taking her to a hostel where she was assaulted with nunchucks and raped, Howe forced her to travel back to his home address in Hammersmith where his friend, Ajani Williams, was waiting for them.

Over the course of two days, the pair repeatedly raped and assaulted her.

They then allowed her to leave but not before they had forced her into making a voice note that said she had consented to sex.

Searches of the hostel in Ipswich led to the nunchucks and a sword used to threaten the victim being recovered – the sword sheath had a fingerprint which identified it as having being used by Howe.

Blue latex gloves were also located, with DNA proving a forensic match to Howe and Williams.

An eight-week trial at Isleworth Crown Court led to Howe, of Fortunegate Road, Brent, being convicted of two counts of kidnap, seven counts of rape, one count of possession of an item with a blade or point, one count of sexual assault by penetration, one count of false imprisonment, two counts of actual bodily harm, and one count of perverting the course of justice.

His friend Williams, of Keslake Road, Brent, was convicted of false imprisonment, actual bodily harm, five counts of rape and one count of perverting the course of justice. He also pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply a class B drug.