Woman who was raped at knifepoint on Peterborough footpath tells court she 'wishes she had chosen the knife' as attacker faces justice after five years

A woman who was raped at knifepoint in Peterborough has said she is still struggling to cope with the impact of the attack five years after her terrifying ordeal – and had even contemplated suicide.

The woman was attacked by Awais Rehman as she walked down a footpath near Rhubarb Bridge in Peterborough in 2017. Six days later, another woman was also sexually assaulted by Rehman at the same spot.

In 2018 Rehman – who was just 15 years old at the time of the attacks – was deemed not fit to plead or stand trial, and was detained in a psychiatric hospital.

But now doctors have said he is capable of being sentenced.

He appeared today at Cambridge Crown Court, where statements from his victims were read to Judge Bridge.

Duncan O’Donnell, prosecuting, told the court that when Rehman’s first victim was attacked, she said she had been given the choice of ‘either the knife of the bushes,’ where the rape took place - and at the time she 'chose the bushes'.

In her statement, the woman said there was ‘nothing scarier’ than being raped at knifepoint, and said: “If I could go back to that day and change my decision, I would have chosen the knife.”

She added: “I have thought of suicide. The only thing that stopped me was my parents. I could not bear the thought of my parents burying me.

"I can still remember it as if it happened a week ago. It has made me even stronger than I was before.”

When she was told Rehman was pleading guilty to the offences, she said it had made her cry – and she would be ‘glad’ if he went to prison.

She said that when the court proceedings were over she was ‘determined to go to a quiet and calm place to try and release all that is still inside me.’

The victim was also full of praise for the police, and how they had helped her following her ordeal.

She said:”I would appeal to any woman who has been the victim of rape to put their trust in the police.”

A statement was also read from Rehman’s second victim, who said she was also still struggling to cope five years on.

She said: “My life has been deeply changed five years on.

"I am still hyper alert whenever I go out, and I still feel unsafe.

"I don’t like living my life like this. Who wants to feel like this?

"I still have panic attacks, when I am at home and suddenly realise I am on my own..

"I know he (Rehman) has been in a special hospital, but I feel he should be put in prison and punished for what he has done.

"At the moment, it feels like it will never end.”

Rehman, of Watergall, Peterborough, pleaded guilty to one count of rape, two counts of sexual assault, one count of threatening someone with a knife and one count of robbery at a hearing earlier this year.

Judge Bishop adjourned sentencing until Tuesday (October 25).