A man has been convicted of raping a 21-year old student in the John Radcliffe
Hospital last October.
At roughly 8.35pm, the victim was in the foyer of the hospital’s west wing,
waiting to visit her sister, when the 44-year old followed her into a toilet cubicle.
The jury took only 1 hour to reach a unanimous decision to convict Ian Joseph on
the 5th May, following a three-day trial in which the victim described her ordeal.
The victim stated Joseph spoke to her “through gritted teeth” and that he said
that she was “making him mad”. She also stated that, worrying he had a weapon,
she complied out of “sheer fear”.
With Joseph reportedly stating that if she was quiet he would let the victim go,
the victim also added that “she found it really hard to be quiet because [she] was
so scared”.
Joseph was arrested two days in later in Southampton, claiming only to have
waked in on the victim before leaving.
Joseph has however already had a criminal record spanning 23 years, having
committed serious offences from robbery and dangerous driving to ABH and
GBH.
As a result of Joseph’s latest crime therefore, Judge Patrick Eccles adjourned
sentencing for a probation report in order to determine whether Joseph presents
sufficient danger to the public to require indeterminate imprisonment. As stated
by the Judge, the sentencing “will inevitably be one that involves a substantial
period of imprisonment”.
Dc Rob Barrett, speaking outside Oxford Crown Court also stated that, “Joseph
had absolutely no connection to that hospital apart from trying to find a place to
stay. People should not fear going to hospital- it needs to be remembered who he
was”.
Joseph is currently residing in custody, awaiting sentencing next month.
