A 35-year-old man has been sentenced to more than 12 years imprisonment after being convicted of raping a 15-year-old girl in Oxford city centre on Valentine’s Day 2024.

Amin Abedi Mofrad was found guilty by a unanimous jury verdict of one count of rape and one count of sexual assault by penetration following an incident on February 14 last year.

Oxford Crown Court heard that the victim, who had been at an under-18s nightclub, was waiting to be collected from the Westgate Shopping Centre when she was assaulted. Mofrad approached the intoxicated teenager and led her into an alleyway where he carried out the attack.

Following the assault, Mofrad sent messages to friends including photographs of himself with the victim, the court was told.

The rape was reported to Thames Valley Police on April 7, 2024. Mofrad was initially arrested and released on bail before being arrested again on December 13 after additional evidence was discovered on his mobile device. He was formally charged and remanded in custody on February 3, 2025.

The court heard that Mofrad, an Iranian national who arrived in the UK by small boat in 2023, had previous convictions including four assault offences in Germany. He was also convicted of theft in January 2024.

At the time of the offence, Mofrad was residing at the Holiday Inn Express in Oxford before being relocated to accommodation in Reading.

On Thursday, Mofrad was sentenced to nine years and six months in prison with an extended three-year licence period.

Detective Constable Bethany Liversidge of Oxford CID commended the victim’s courage throughout the investigation. “It is thanks to her support and bravery that we were able to bring Mofrad to justice,” she said.

“I hope that this result illustrates how committed Thames Valley Police is in investigating and preventing violence against women and girls and bringing offenders to justice.”

The victim and her family have requested privacy.