Grime rapper Solo 45 sentenced to 24 years in jail after rape conviction
30 July 2020, 17:24
Solo 45 has been sentenced after being found guilty of raping four women and holding them against their will.
TRIGGER WARNING: This article mentions details of sexual abuse.
Grime artist Solo 45 has been sentenced to 24 years in jail after being found guilty of raping and imprisoning women.
The rapper, real name is Andy Anokye, was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court today for raping four women and holding them against their will.
Earlier this year, London-born Anokye, who was a member of group Boy Better Know, was convicted of a total of 30 offences relating to acts which took place over a two year period.
He was unanimously convicted of 21 rapes, five counts of false imprisonment, two counts of assault by penetration and two of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Anokye had previously denied the charges against him, claiming the acts were part of consensual role play and part of a game he dibbed 'Catch me, Rape me'. He said he informed his victims that he would 'terrorise' them.
The investigation against Anokye started after one of his victims told friends of her experience and went to the police, resulting in officers seizing his electronic devices and leading them to the three other women.
Anoyke would film himself attacking his victims on his phone. In the harrowing footage, he could seen interrogating his victims about previous sexual partners, slapping them, insulting them and raping them.
The footage was so disturbing that Judge William Hart cleared the public gallery of the courtroom as the videos were shown.
During his closing speech to the jury, Christopher Quinlan QC described Anokye as "a narcissist and a violent bully."
"He imprisoned, assaulted, sexually violated and raped four women. Each suffered in similar ways at different times at the defendant's hands," he said.
"He filmed, using his mobile phone, a great deal of what he did. He is a sadist who derives satisfaction and sexual pleasure from inflicting pain and suffering."