Sex Offender jailed for Nottingham park incident
The victim was just 17 years old
Last updated 1st Apr 2025
A man who committed a serious sexual assaulted against a teenage boy in a Nottingham park has been jailed.
The victim, then aged 17, had gone for a walk through the Forest Recreation Ground on 18 July 2024 around 11.30pm.
That's when they encountered a man, now known to be Mohammed Darweesh, who began to pester them, it was thought Darweesh was drunk.
The victim tried to move away from the 24-year-old but he kept blocking his path.
The victim said he believed Darweesh was armed with a knife and agreed to follow him away from the path where the sexual assault took place.
Darweesh then fled from the scene on foot with the teenager’s watch and a £10 note. The watch was recovered by a passer-by who'd pursued Darweesh in his van.
At 4am that next morning, Darweesh was struck by a car in Mapperley Road having been seen lying in the road by members of the public. He was taken to hospital with serious injuries.
That's when Police identified him as a suspect following forensic and other inquiries. He was arrested when he was released from Queen’s Medical Centre.
At Nottingham Crown Court he pleaded guilty to rape and attempted rape.
On Friday, the 28th of March, Darweesh, of no fixed abode, was handed an extended jail sentence of nine-and-a-half years. Upon release he will also be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order to protect vulnerable people.
Detective Constable Richard Robertson, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:
“This was an appalling crime that understandably caused considerable distress in the community. The teenage victim was walking through the park when he was targeted and attacked by Darweesh. The victim was traumatised by what happened and this is likely to have a lasting impact upon both him and his family.
“I hope the outcome in court today can help them begin the process of moving on with their lives. Thankfully, incidents of this nature are extremely rare and when they do happen will be met with a robust response.
“Detectives and other officers worked extremely hard on the investigation, which helped to ensure Darweesh had no alternative but to admit what he had done. This at least spared the victim the further anxiety of a crown court trial.”