A man has been found guilty of raping a teenage girl who was walking home in Tunbridge Wells.

Rocco Minafra, 46, had been cycling around Tunbridge Wells for around 25 minutes before approaching the victim on the evening of 18 October 2025. He called her over and she thought she knew him from the voice, before realising she didn’t.

He took her to a bench, before pulling her down a slope into a dark, secluded area out of sight of others, where he raped her. After the attack, he threatened to kill her if she told anyone what had happened.

DNA evidence linked Minafra to the attack and he was arrested two days later. In police interview, he claimed the sex had been consensual and denied making any threats.

Sarah Worsley from the Crown Prosecution Service said: “Rocco Minafra set out to find someone to attack. He targeted this girl, gaining her trust before isolating her and committing a violent sexual assault.

“She described the fear she felt during the attack, believing she could not escape because he had a bike and would easily catch her.

“The defendant claimed this was consensual, but the evidence clearly showed this was rape.

“None of us can imagine what she went through that night. It was a horrific attack, with Minafra then threatening to kill her if she ever told anyone what had happened.

“Despite that, she had the courage to report the attack and to ensure that this dangerous predator was brought to justice.”