London courts have served a photographer with an 11-year jail sentence after he sexually assaulted a former client. Sritharan Sayanthan, aged 42 and hailing from Fitzrovia, faced a seven-day trial at Hendon Crown Court, ultimately resulting in his conviction on two counts of rape and one count of attempted rape.
The victim, a Chinese woman in her 30s, visited Mr Sayanthan’s studio on Brompton Road in May 2022 to have some professional photographs taken. She later agreed to meet the photographer on July 8 for a seemingly innocent networking gathering, thinking it was part of the process.
Their meeting occurred at a public house on Warren Street around 7.40 pm. Mr Sayanthan seemingly manipulated the situation by encouraging the victim to consume a large amount of alcohol before escorting her to his studio.
The woman lost consciousness at some point during the encounter, only to wake later to realise that she was being sexually assaulted. However, she was unable to say anything or defend herself. She eventually woke up to find the photographer redressing her before he then walked her to the tube station.
Speaking about the case, Detective Sophie Baker, from the Central North Command, expressed her admiration for the victim’s strength and resilience, saying, “The victim survivor in this case was fantastic from start to finish. She was extremely nervous at the prospect of giving evidence but, with the support of an interpreter, she told the court in fine detail what happened.
“For victims, describing the incident in court can be daunting, but she did amazingly, and I am personally very proud of her bravery and thankful to her for coming forward.
“We also believe there could be other victims of Sayanthan and would encourage anyone who wants to speak to us to come forward. No piece of information is too small and you will be listened to and supported,” she adds.
During the case, two more historical allegations against the same suspect were used as character evidence, although neither of those had sufficient evidence at the time to lead to an arrest.
To aid the investigation, DC Baker encouraged anyone with information about Sayanthan to contact the UK police via 101, referencing case number 1852/31JUL22. Furthermore, she appealed to anyone who has suffered from rape or sexual assault to share their experiences with the authorities. Specially trained officers are ready to provide assistance and support to ensure the perpetrators of such acts are brought to justice.
[Via the Evening Standard]
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