Man found guilty of rape in Colchester

A man has been found guilty of rape in Colchester.

30-year-old Miridon Bera of Talavera Crescent, was shown on CCTV leaving a club with a woman in her 20s he attacked her back at his flat.

Bera, of Talavera Crescent, denied the charge and stood trial at Ipswich Crown Court, he was found guilty and will be sentenced on March 21st

Speaking after the verdict, the woman he attacked said:

“DC Howells and her team at Essex police have been incredible during the more than 3.5 years it has taken for this trial to come to fruition, working alongside CARA to provide support above and beyond my expectations during what has been an incomprehensively arduous journey.

“While there are gaping holes in our criminal justice system that require radical change to better serve victims of crime, the on the ground care that I have received from DC Howells and CARA has been fantastic since day one.

“I am truly grateful to DC Howells as well as my closest friends and family, who have backed me fully at every step without question and without whom I may not have gotten this far.”

Detective Sergeant Liv Howells, the lead investigator for the case, said:

“Nobody should have to live in fear of being targeted or attacked while socialising.

“There can be no doubt that Miridon Bera was in control of his actions that night and hoped to get away with it.

“Our team and our partners have worked closely together throughout this investigation to support the woman and get justice for her.

“I want to thank them for their continued support and also the woman Bera attacked, who has shown incredible strength over the past three-and-a-half-years and has always put her faith in us.

“To anyone out there who may have experienced sexual violence, we know that reporting the incident can be a huge decision but know that we’re here for you when you’re ready.”