Violent double rapist given indefinite jail sentence

Sentencing Moldovan Dimitri Cojan at Leeds Crown Court yesterday the Recorder of Leeds, Judge Peter Collier QC said the psychological impact on his two victims would be long lasting. One of them had since attempted suicide.

She said in her victim impact statement as a prostitute she expected “some people to be rough or not nice to me” and in the past had not complained about such assaults, but reported Cojan’s attack “because it was so bad and so violent I don’t want him to have the chance to do this to someone else.”

The judge said Cojan showed no remorse or understanding of what he had done wrong which made him a continuing risk.

Cojan, 23, of Royal Park Grove, Leeds, was ordered to serve a minimum of eight years. He was found guilty by a jury on four charges of rape and two of robbery against the women.

Matthew Bean prosecuting said Cojan agreed to pay £15 for sex after approaching a prostitute on August 14 last year in City Road, Bradford.

But after they had sex behind a public house he punched her, forcing her to the ground and made her hand over all the money she had. He then raped her after threatening to kill her.

On January 16 Cojan picked up a prostitute in the Water Lane area of Leeds in a Mercedes car and drove her to a car park where he paid her for oral sex but afterwards he produced the Rambo style knife. He forced her to hand over her money and raped her after threatening to slice her throat.

After the case Detective Superintendent Paul Taylor said: “Attacks of this nature will not be tolerated.”

“I want to pay tribute to the victims in this case, who have been very brave in coming forward after what must have been terrifying ordeals.”