Predatory Attacker Receives 12-Year Sentence for Heinous Aberdeen Assault
A man who brutally raped a 14-year-old girl after offering her a lift home from an Aberdeen taxi rank has been sentenced to 12 years in prison. Victor Popa, 35, lured the intoxicated teenager into his vehicle during the early hours of January 15, 2023, subjecting her to a horrific sexual assault in the Gordon's Mills Place area of the city while she repeatedly lost consciousness.
Victim's Life Shattered by Trauma and Bullying
Judge Alison Stirling described how the young victim has been "living a waking nightmare" since the attack, suffering from complex PTSD, anxiety, and depression. The emotional impact has been overwhelming and potentially everlasting according to her victim impact statement. The girl was forced to leave school after just six months due to relentless bullying about the rape, primarily from male classmates.
The court heard devastating details: "Having to tell her mother was awful, because she knew her mother would be very upset. Telling the police and going for sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy tests made her feel dirty and humiliated. It was terrifying for her at the age of 14 to think she could be pregnant to a rapist."
How the Predatory Attack Unfolded
The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had been drinking with friends but became separated and went to a taxi rank seeking transportation home. Popa, who was not a licensed taxi driver and completely unknown to the girl, pulled up and offered assistance. Judge Stirling detailed: "She waited for a long time but there were no taxis. Your car appeared and she thought you were a taxi. She told you she was 14 years old, that she was really drunk and that she did not have any money."
The predator agreed to take her home, but instead drove to Gordon's Mills Place where he committed the assault. Medical evidence presented to the jury showed injuries caused by significant force, likely inflicted while the victim was unconscious. The prosecution built a strong case using multiple strands of evidence including CCTV footage and text messages that corroborated the teenager's account.
Dangerous Offender Faces Consequences
Popa, who attended school in Romania before moving to the UK in 2015 and settling in Aberdeen in 2018, denied all wrongdoing. He claimed the girl told him she was 18 and that the sexual encounter was consensual. However, the jury at the High Court in Edinburgh convicted him in January following a thorough trial.
In addition to the 12-year prison sentence, Popa has been placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely and banned from contacting his victim. Procurator Fiscal Faye Cook stated: "Violence against women and girls has no place in our society. This was a predatory and deeply distressing attack on a child who was simply trying to get home safely."
Detective Chief Inspector Steven McDonald praised the victim's courage, adding: "Popa is a dangerous individual who posed a risk to women and girls and preyed on this young girl's vulnerability." The case highlights the devastating consequences of sexual violence and the importance of holding perpetrators accountable through the justice system.
