Liman Matubber Jailed for Nine Years After Carlisle Rape Conviction

A Carlisle man has been jailed for nine years after a jury convicted him of rape and threatening a woman with a knife.

Liman Matubber, 26, formerly of Warwick Road, Carlisle, denied both offences but a jury at Carlisle Crown Court returned majority guilty verdicts on both charges following trial.

Matubber is liable to deportation following his sentence of more than 12 months’ imprisonment. The court heard he had previously been granted asylum in the United Kingdom after claiming political persecution in Bangladesh.

During the trial, the court heard that the woman was raped after repeatedly telling Matubber she did not want sex. During the incident she was also threatened with a knife and feared she was about to be stabbed.

Sentencing him, Judge Michael Fanning said the prosecution had proved the woman’s lack of consent was clearly communicated.

“She repeatedly told him she did not want to have sex,” the judge said. “But you had sex against her will and against her protests.”

Describing the offence as “deeply traumatic”, the judge imposed a nine-year custodial sentence and ordered that Matubber be placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.

Matubber appeared at the sentencing hearing via prison video link. The court was told he had no previous convictions and had been of good character prior to the offences.

In mitigation, defence barrister John Crawford said Matubber had experienced a “significant cultural shift” since arriving in the United Kingdom and had been granted asylum on the basis of claimed political persecution in Bangladesh. He told the court Matubber had experienced suicidal thoughts while on remand.

Following conviction, the judge noted that any immigration decision would take account of the circumstances Matubber could face if returned to Bangladesh.

“The fact that you have been convicted of serious offences in this country does not mean that you deserve to be thrown to the wolves back in Bangladesh; this country rightly protects even those who commit the worst offences,” he said.

Following sentencing, Detective Constable Josh Daniel thanked the complainant for reporting the offences.

He said: “I would like to thank the victim for her bravery in reporting what happened to her to police.

“I hope the sentence passed today gives the victim in this case some closure.

“We continue to urge anyone who has been victim of a sexual offence to contact police so that our officers can investigate.

“We understand how difficult it can be to come forward, and we are committed to supporting victims every step of the way.”