A doorman who targeted young, vulnerable women whilst working in his profession has been handed a 24 year jail sentence.
Sarjo Jatta, aged 44 was handed down a conviction for the rape of an 18 year old woman in September 2015, and convicted of the rape, sexual assault and false imprisonment of a 22 year old woman in February 2020 with both having occurred in the city.
The charges were issued in March 2020 after the 22 year old woman had reported Jatta for offering her a seemingly good natured lift home after she past the front of the city centre casino where he had worked, but after she entered his vehicle he refused to allow her to leave before then raping and sexually assaulting the victim.
It was upon this report and the investigation into him following his immediate arrest that it was uncovered through the police records that Jatta had been previously arrested on suspicion of rape for the similar crime on the 18 year old woman, however there was believed to be a lack of evidence to allow the CPS to authorise his prosecution for that incident.
He was able to face prosecution for the second attack due to the work of detectives from the Brighton Safeguarding Investigations Unit who were then able to prove the similarities that occurred between the two events and therefore lift the burden of proof to allow all cases against the defendant to be pursued in court.
Jatta was however found to be not guilty of two other incidents, one involving four counts of sexual assault on a 19 year old woman in December 2011, and another involving the rape of an 18 year old woman in August 2017.
In sentencing, it was noted that he clearly had a dark side to his character, evidenced by his pursuit of vulnerable women whose trust he had gained, and by appearing to show no remorse or even understanding of the crimes he was being convicted for.
He will serve 20 years in the custody of the prison service, before then spending a further four years on an extended licence. Jatta will also be registered as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
Photo Credit: Tingey Injury Law Firm
