Man subjected young girl to years of sexual abuse - before horrific rape at Sachas hotel in heart of city centre

A man has been jailed after an horrific host of sexual crimes against a young girl - culminating in raping the 16-year-old in a room at the Manchester city centre hotel, Sachas.

The man has been imprisoned after being convicted of repeatedly sexually abusing a young girl, following an investigation by the Metropolitan Police. Jose Bantina-Lubangusu, 53, of Wick Road in the Hackney area of London, was found guilty of rape, sexual assault and sexual touching of a child under the age of 13.

The court heard how Bantina-Lubangusu subjected the girl to years of sexual abuse. The abuse culminated in an incident where he raped her in a Manchester hotel room in Sacha's Hotel in January 2022, according to the Met.

The girl was 12 when the sexual abuse started and 16 when she was raped. Throughout this time, Bantina-Lubangusu groomed the girl including by sometimes leaving money in her shoes and then claiming she could pay it back by having sex with him.

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The girl confided in her sister about the abuse and in December 2022 a report was made to police. Bantina-Lubangusu was arrested, and detectives began to compile evidence against him, including an audio recording of him admitting to the abuse.

After being charged and despite the damning evidence Bantina-Lubangusu chose to plead not guilty and a trial took place. After a two-and-a-half-week trial the jury found Bantina-Lubangusu guilty of the attacks.

He was convicted following a trial which concluded at Wood Green Crown Court on Thursday, 21 December. He was sentenced at the same court on Thursday, 29 February to ten years’ imprisonment and given a ten-year sexual harm prevention order.

Detective Constable