Man jailed for raping woman in Reading
He was extradited back to the UK from Romania
A man has been jailed for seven and a half years after admitting raping a woman in Reading.
29 year old Stefan Paladuta of no fixed address, will also be placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.
On 19 June 2017, the victim, a woman who was aged in her late teens at the time, had fallen asleep on a friend’s doorstep in Oxford Road in Reading.
Paladuta and his friend approached the victim, picking her up and taking her to his home address in Hart Street.
Paladuta then raped the victim twice and also attempted another sex act before she managed to escape.
He was identified through DNA evidence and he was arrested just over a year after the offence.
However, Paladuta returned to his native Romania before any charges were brought.
The Crown Prosecution Service authorised charges in 2022 and Paladuta was extradited back to the UK to stand trial.
Investigating officer Detective Sergeant Maggie Bruce said: “I really want to thank the victim in this case for the determination that she showed to help bring Paladuta to justice.
“This has been a long and protracted case, and the strength and resilience that she showed has been truly inspirational.
“She has had difficulties which did not stop her from helping us to pursue justice for her. It has been an incredible journey, which I’m proud to have shared with her.
“The victim should also be immensely proud of what she has achieved and I know that she will go on to achieve great things in her life.
“This conviction and sentence demonstrates that Thames Valley Police takes violence against women and girls very seriously and will do all that is necessary to bring offenders to justice, no matter how long this may take.”