Worcester rapist is sentenced to nine years.

A former Worcester councillor has been sentenced to nine years after being found guilty of rape and two counts of assault causing actual bodily harm on Thursday (5 November).

Shawaz Ditta, 31, of Bath Road, Worcester was dealt with at Worcester Crown Court for the offences that took place in 2022.

Ditta’s survivor reported his offending to police in early 2023 and an investigation was launched by West Mercia Police’s Protecting People Unit (PPU).

The woman told officers how he had assaulted her several times by throwing metal tongs at her head and by burning a knife on the hob and pressing it against her leg. She reported to us that he had raped her too.

HHJ Andrew Lockhart sentenced Ditta (pictured) to nine years for rape on Thursday. Concurrent sentences of two years and six months were imposed respectively for the two assaults, making it a total sentence of nine years.

A 10-year restraining order was also granted to protect the victim, he was placed on the sex offenders' register for life and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £288.

Charges of controlling and coercive behaviour, along with a further offence of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, were ordered to lie on file.

Detective Constable Lydia Burrows of West Mercia Police’s PPU South said: “Ditta is a violent sexual predator who belongs behind bars.

“His conviction will hopefully give his survivor some closure and the opportunity to move forward with her life now.

“Ditta was formerly a city councillor, so this result shows that nobody is above the law, regardless of status in society.

“We would like to commend the survivor for having the courage to come forward and report this to police and hope it will encourage others to do the same.

“We will always take you seriously and treat you with empathy and respect as we seek to get justice against the perpetrators of such awful offences.”