AN illegal immigrant has been found guilty of raping a woman he coerced into getting a taxi home with him.

Club toilet attendant Bright Erhmwemma raped the mum-of-one on October 23 last year.

Warrington Crown Court heard last week how the 27-year-old had finished work at 53 Degrees North where he was allowed to offer soap and aftershave to guests and take tips in an unoffical role.

After leaving work at around 3am he loitered around Friars Gate and Bridge Street before settling on his 22-year-old victim.

She had just had an argument with her partner and was alone.

Ehrmwemma, of Lovely Lane, Bewsey, seized his opportunity and persuaded the drunk woman to get into Arfan Mehboob’s hackney taxi with him.

He claimed he would look after her like his little sister, a character invented to gain her trust.

Prosecuting, Kim Halsall said: “He was hanging around and he was drawn to her when he saw she was having an argument wirth her boyfriend and made his move.”

When they arrived at the victim’s address he pretended to walk away but later entered her home as she undressed upstairs, the court heard.

On hearing footsteps she returned downstairs where Ehrmwemma raped her.

When taking to the stand to give evidence the victim sat behind a screen to save her from facing her attacker.

After being asked if she was sure about the details of the night she admitted being drunk but replied: “Whether you’re intoxicated or not you know if something like that has happened (to you). It’s not something you make up.”

The defendant, who also admitted to begging in the town centre, maintained he had not gone home with the woman and denied even speaking to her.

But under cross examination he could not explain why CCTV showed the two talking and walking towards the taxi rank together.

The jury found him guilty in a unanimous decision in just over two hours.

Ehrmemma, who will sign the sex offender’s register for life, shook his head but remained silent as the verdict was delivered.

Judge Nicholas Woodward jailed him for six and a half years. He will now be deported because of immigration issues.

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