London’s Metropolitan Police officers have been accused by a judge of letting an attempted rapist go after being caught “red-handed” outside Buckingham Palace, the trial of the migrant has revealed.
In the early morning of Sept 7, 2024, Algerian migrant Ramzi Barkat, 54, came upon a woman in St James’s Park, attempted to flirt with her, and when he was shot down, tackled and “straddled” her while holding down her wrists.
Fortunately for the woman, three nearby soldiers heard her screams and prevented Barkat from going further.
However, despite the apparent risk he posed to the public, police chose to release the Algerian migrant on bail or under investigation after the victim was interviewed, The Telegraph reported.
Judge Justin Cole of the Southwark Crown Court accused the police of a “catalogue of incompetencies” during the incident.
“He was simply let go in a situation in which frankly he had been caught red-handed and presented a continuing danger to the public,” Judge Cole said.
“The bottom line is this man was set free for a period of a year, a year to do what he likes, in a situation where he had attacked a lone female in a park. The public would be appalled to hear of such laxity.”
“The public would be appalled to hear of such laxity.”
The revelations came during this week’s sentencing hearing for Barkat, who was jailed for seven years and three months on Friday. Judge Coles said that Barkat “sought to take advantage of a lone vulnerable woman” and “acted like a predator”.
In addition to being found guilty of attempted rape, Barkat was also found guilty of assaulting one of the soldiers who prevented the rape, The Independent reported.
The Algerian migrant had claimed that he was merely attempting to steal the woman’s phone. On top of his prison sentence, he received a 10-year restraining order and a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.