Convicted murderer and friend kidnapped woman on night out and sexually attacked her

A woman on a night out with friends was kidnapped off the street and taken to property where she was subjected to brutal sex attacks by two men - one a convicted murderer. Her attackers, Romeo-Kristian Maceovei, 32, and convicted murderer Iulian Lupu, 57, were found guilty of the sickening offences after a trial at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court in 2024.

Prosecutor Barry White told the court the victim 'found herself in difficulties' while on a night out with friends in Newcastle town centre, in Staffordshire, on December 10, 2023. She ran into trouble after leaving The Foyer nightclub on Hassell Street.

Mr White said: "She believes she may have been spiked. CCTV showed her being ejected from a taxi and slumping on the floor by a wall. It was clear she was under the influence. The defendants were seen walking by her. Lupu approached her, picked her up and kissed her. He took her to a taxi."

The court heard the vulnerable woman was taken to the defendants' address. Mr White said: "Lupu held her up. At times she stumbled. She did not consent to any contact with the two men. She could barely stand and was not capable of consenting and this would have been obvious to both men. She was vulnerable. Only the two defendants will ever know what they did to her. She was there for a number of hours. Both gave her cocaine.

"Macovei went on to rape her. It is not known what Lupu did other than the fact when she regained her senses that she was naked and sat on the edge of the bed. He was naked with her. Her finger was injured. She did not know what had happened."

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Macovei spoke to her. He took her away from the property to a taxi. Mr White said: "Unbeknown to