Marwen Darwish

In January 2023, Marwen Darwish targeted a university student who was in a highly vulnerable and intoxicated state in Newcastle. Darwish carried the woman into a secluded alleyway and committed rape. He further stole the victim's phone before fleeing the scene, an act captured on CCTV.

Appearing at Newcastle Crown Court, Darwish admitted to charges of rape, theft, and possessing a class C drug. Recorder Tony Hawks sentenced Darwish to eight years imprisonment. In addition to the custodial sentence, Darwish was placed on the sex offenders register for life and faces automatic deportation after serving two-thirds of his sentence.

The court heard that the victim had no recollection of the incident due to her condition. Although Darwish initially claimed consent, the evidence provided by CCTV footage demonstrated that the victim lacked the capacity to provide it.