Rapist jailed after kidnapping and assaulting women

A man has been jailed for rape, sexual assault and kidnapping after he attacked two women while on court bail.

Najeebullah Arab, from Grove, Oxfordshire was sentenced to 17 years imprisonment during a hearing at Oxford Crown Court on Friday.

He admitted one count of rape, one count of kidnap and two counts of sexual assault at a hearing at the same court in March.

The 40-year-old also later pleaded guilty a further offence of engaging in sexual communication with a child - for which he was charged in 2024.

Alongside his jail time, Arab was also handed a 20-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and an indefinite restraining order from his victims.

Det Ch Insp Stuart May from Thames Valley Police said Arab was a "dangerous sexual predator who targeted women and subjected them to traumatic and violent offences".

"His actions have had a lasting impact on his victims, and it is right that he will now spend a significant period of time behind bars."

Thames Valley Police said Arab had approached a woman in her late 20s on Cane Lane in Grove on 21 January, before following her to Main Street and sexually assaulting her.

Days later, on 27 January, Arab approached another woman - in her late teens - whilst on his bicycle on Grove Road in Wantage.

After speaking briefly with her, he sexually assaulted her, and then took her towards an area behind Mably Way, where he raped her, police said.

The force said he was arrested on 30 January and charged two days later.

It added that Arab had been on court bail at the time of the offences, after he was arrested and charged in connection with an offence of engaging in sexual communication with a child in 2024.

May said Arab's victims had "rightly been described as heroes" during Friday's sentencing hearing and praised their "courage in coming forward".