Britain's 'most prolific rapist' jailed for life for 138 rapes

6 January 2020, 13:37 | Updated: 6 January 2020, 14:56

The UK's most prolific serial rapist has been jailed for life after drugging the men and filming himself sexually violating them while they were unconscious in his city-centre apartment.

Serial rapist Reynhard Sinaga has been jailed at Manchester Crown Court for life and must serve a minimum of 30 years after he was convicted of offences against 48 men.

Police have linked Reynhard Sinaga to more than 190 potential victims in total - 70 of whom they have not yet been able to identify.

One victim told the court he did not know he had been raped until officers came to speak to him.

He said: "I will never forget the day the Police came to see me, I did not know why they needed to see me but I can say I was absolutely devastated to hear that I had been a victim of rape, after being drugged and this sexual act was filmed by a man, I now know to be Sinaga."

36-year-old, Sinaga, went out in the early hours of the morning, hunting for lone, drunk young men around nightclubs near his flat in Manchester.

The slightly-built Indonesian student posed as a Good Samaritan who offered them a floor to sleep on or promised them more drink, Manchester Crown Court heard.

His victims - who were mainly heterosexual - had little or no memory of the hours that followed as Sinaga filmed the assaults on his mobile phone, and they later left the apartment unaware they had been violated.

The rapist was caught when one of the men regained consciousness and fought him off before he went to the police and crucially handed in Sinaga's phone.

On Monday, Sinaga was jailed for life and must serve a minimum of 30 years in custody before he can be considered for parole.

Judge Suzanne Goddard QC told the court his total number of potential victims was 195.

Details of the case - the UK's largest ever rape prosecution - can be made public after reporting restrictions were lifted following the end of four trials.

Sinaga claimed the men consented to being recorded playing a sex game in which they pretended to be dead to fulfil his fantasies - a defence labelled "preposterous" by prosecutor Iain Simkin as jurors saw footage of some victims snoring.

He was found guilty of a total of 159 offences committed between January 2015 and May 2017 - 136 counts of rape, 13 counts of sexual assault, eight counts of attempted rape and two counts of assault by penetration.

One victim told the court, in an impact statement" "I hope he never comes out of Prison and he rots in hell."

Following the sentencing, Ian Rushton, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said Sinaga was "the most prolific rapist in British legal history" and possibly "in the world".

"His extreme sense of sexual entitlement almost defies belief and he would no doubt still be adding to his staggering tally had he not been caught," he said.

He added that he thought Sinaga took "a particular pleasure in preying on heterosexual men".

Assistant Chief Constable Mabs Hussain, of Greater Manchester Police, called Sinaga "a depraved individual" who prayed on "vulnerable men" who were walking alone after a night out.

"He would strike up a conversation with them before leading them back to his flat under a false premise and drugging them before subjecting them to sickening abuse, all the while recording the attacks as they took place," he said.

"Not much was known about Reynhard Sinaga prior to his final victim telling police of his ordeal and he had never previously come to the attention of GMP with regards to any criminal incidents."

ACC Hussain paid tribute to the victims, citing their bravery and courage in both helping officers with the investigations and for standing up in court to provide evidence.

Police are advising anyone who wishes to make a report relating to Reynhard Sinaga to contact 0800 092 0410 (calls made from within the UK) / 0207158 0124 (international calls).

If you have been affected by this case and would like to seek specialist support please contact 0800 056 0154 (calls made from within the UK) / 0207158 0011 (international calls).