'Dangerous sexual predator' - Rapist who preyed on women on nights out in Leeds jailed
A rapist who preyed on a woman on a night out in Leeds has been jailed after his DNA linked to him a second attack.
Rashid Boachie attacked a woman in an alleyway behind the Travelodge in Blayds Yard after she became separated from her friends on August 10 last year.
He sexually assaulted her before a hotel worker heard her cries for help and intervened, with the 44-year-old Boachie walking away from the scene.
He was identified and arrested four days later, when DNA samples were taken which eventually linked him to another unsolved attack in 2021.
His DNA was found to match DNA found on the jeans of the victim from the rape investigation in 2021.
That incident happened on August 29, 2021, when a woman mistakenly got into Boachie’s car thinking it was a taxi.
He drove her to a car park which was too busy, so he drove her to another where he raped her.
The victim managed to send a short video message while in the car, in which she can be heard saying ‘help me’.
Boachie was found guilty of rape and sexual assault on Thursday (Feb 19) and will be sentenced on March 25.
Detective Inspector Jodie Hayes, of West Yorkshire Police’s Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, said: “In both cases, Boachie has deliberately preyed on heavily intoxicated, vulnerable women who have become separated from their friends.
“He is a dangerous sexual predator who will hopefully now be behind bars for a long time.
“The victims have both shown immense courage throughout, and I am sorry that despite the evidence against him, Boachie refused to admit what he had done, resulting in them having to go through the trial process.
“Members of the public played a valuable role in helping us identify Boachie in the CCTV images from the 2025 offence. By arresting him for that offence, we were able to then link him back to the earlier offence.
“Cases like this are never fully closed, we will always act on any new evidence to get justice for victims.
“There were four years between these offences and there is potential that Boachie has committed other crimes during that time. If anyone has been a victim of an offence, we would urge them to report it.
“You will be supported throughout by specially trained officers, as these two victims have been.”