A man has been jailed for eight years after being found guilty of raping a woman in an alleyway in Ipswich’s town centre.

Ali Shaboot, of Freehold Road, Ipswich, was found guilty of two counts of rape on Wednesday after a trial at Norwich Crown Court. He was sentenced today.

The court heard that a woman, after spending an evening out in town, was approached by Shaboot in Dogs Head Street.

The 40-year-old offered her a cigarette and spoke to her before she started to make her way home.

He followed the woman, pushed her against a wall and attempted to kiss her. The woman tried to push him off but he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into an alleyway off a car park in Lower Brook Street.

The woman was raped twice by Shaboot before he left the scene.

The victim sought help from a person nearby who in turn alerted the incident to Town Pastors who had been working in the area.

Police attended and cordoned an area off in Lower Brook Street in order for Crime Scene Investigators to gather forensic material and officers to carry out an investigation.

The incident took place at around 2.25am on Sunday, April 20.

As part of their enquiries police viewed CCTV footage from the surrounding area and were able to identify an image of a man matching the victim’s description who had been in the area at the time.

Further enquiries led police to arrest and later charge Shaboot.

At Norwich Crown Court today, Shaboot was sentenced to two eight year jail terms to run concurrently.

Speaking after the case, Suffolk Constabulary Detective Constable Andy Dibbs, who investigated the case, said: “Ali Shaboot preyed on the vulnerability of a young woman who was on her own after a night out with friends.

“He overpowered her with his strength and abused her when she wasn’t in a position to fight him off.

“Reliving an experience such as this is never easy for a victim of sexual assault and she has shown great strength to be able to give her account of what happened that night.

“Shaboot denied any wrongdoing and the jury found that he was guilty. I hope the verdict at court today will help the victim to come to terms with what she has been through and that with support can further her recovery from this horrendous ordeal.”

Suffolk Constabulary Detective Sergeant Darren Bruce, who oversees rape and serious sexual assault investigations, said: “Suffolk police take all allegations of rape seriously and will carry out full and thorough investigations to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.

“We, together with our partners will also ensure that victims who come forward will receive the necessary help and support they need.”