WREXHAM, Wales — Gift Oladele, a 24-year-old Nigerian citizen, was given an extended 25-year sentence on Thursday, April 30, 2026, for raping a woman on a secluded footpath in Wrexham.
She was 19 at the time of the attack.
The sentence comprises 17 years in prison and eight years on extended licence.
Oladele was also placed under an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a lifelong restraining order protecting the woman.
A jury at Mold Crown Court convicted Oladele of rape and sexual assault in March.
He had denied the charges and maintained that the encounter was consensual.
The Woman Reported the Attack Immediately
The woman, whose identity is protected, said Oladele approached her as she walked home after a night out and offered to accompany her because he claimed to be travelling in the same direction.
She said he later covered her mouth, forced her into nearby woodland, struck her repeatedly and raped her. During the assault, she recalled believing that he might kill her.
Afterwards, according to the woman, Oladele said, “I think you’ve had enough now. At least you have been raped by someone good-looking.”
She said he threatened to find her if she contacted the police and warned that he would take photographs and publish them online.
The woman arrived home at about 3.30am and immediately told her parents. Her father called the police, who arrived about 10 minutes later. Oladele was arrested the following day at his cousin’s home in Wrexham.
Investigators said he tried to conceal a mobile telephone from officers. Searches relating to sexual attacks were later found on the device.
The woman said the assault had caused severe emotional and physical consequences.
She described experiencing frequent episodes of uncontrollable crying and said she received hospital treatment after becoming unable to eat.
An Earlier Deportation Order Was Overturned
Oladele, who was born in Italy, entered Britain with valid immigration clearance that expired in 2014.
He subsequently remained in the country without permission.
He was sentenced to two years in prison in 2022 for falsely imprisoning a woman in Manchester during what was described as a sexually motivated attack.
The Home Office sought to deport him following that conviction, but Oladele appealed under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which protects private and family life.
An immigration tribunal concluded that removing him would be disproportionate.
According to an account of the ruling, the tribunal considered his established private life in Britain and the likelihood that he would be an outsider if sent to Nigeria.
The tribunal acknowledged the public interest in deporting foreign offenders and described the decision as closely balanced.
The Home Office challenged the outcome twice, but both appeals were rejected.
Police Praise the Survivor’s Courage
The woman’s mother questioned why Oladele’s immigration rights had prevailed before the attack on her daughter.
She also said he displayed no remorse during the criminal proceedings.
In a statement following the sentencing, Wrexham Chief Inspector Caroline Mullen-Hurst described Oladele as a “dangerous predator” and praised the woman for reporting the assault and participating in the prosecution.
Mullen-Hurst said Oladele had forced the survivor to recount the attack during a trial after refusing to accept responsibility.
The Home Office called the case horrific and said Oladele had properly received a lengthy sentence.
It said the government would continue seeking the removal of foreign citizens convicted of crimes at the earliest opportunity.
The department said more than 70,000 people classified as illegal migrants or foreign offenders had been returned since the government took office, representing a 41 per cent increase.
