Four jailed for kidnap, rape and assault of young woman in Banbury
Four people who trapped a woman in a Banbury flat then tortured, threatened and raped her, have today been given prison sentences.
Twenty-one-year-old Alexander Azevedo, 20-year-olds Natasha Washington and Sonny Weir and a 17-year-old had previously been convicted of multiple charges including false imprisonment, the enforced consumption of drugs, assault, and rape. A jury at Oxford Crown Court found them guilty after a four-week trial, which ended in March.
The offenders trapped the victim in Azevedo’s home for several hours and repeatedly assaulted her following a drug-fuelled argument between Washington, Weir and the victim. They forced her to consume drugs, poured chilli sauce on her, beat her with various household objects and cut her hair.
After the group had beaten and tortured her, the intoxicated and barely conscious woman was left alone in a room with Azevedo who raped her.
Azevedo later put the victim in a taxi home to her mother’s house. When she arrived home, she was taken to hospital for treatment of her injuries and later was able to give her account to the police.
Today, the defendants were given prison sentences totalling 35 years. Aevedo, Weir and Washington were given prison sentences of 15, nine, and eight years, respectively, while the youth was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment.
Crown Prosecution Service lawyer Marc Thompson said: “The dreadful violence shown towards this young woman was truly senseless. Alexander Azevedo’s offences are especially horrific, taking place at a time when she was in no fit state to object to any sexual acts, or to defend herself.
“The victim’s bravery – giving police interviews, providing as much evidence as she could – is truly commendable, and was vital in helping us secure the convictions. I hope today’s sentences allow her to bring some closure to this chapter of her ordeal.
“The Crown Prosecution Service is committed to working with the police and supporting victims of these dreadful crimes, so that offenders can be brought to justice.”
Notes to editors
- Natasha Washington (D.O.B. 15.11.2001), Alexander Azevedo (D.O.B. 18.05.2001), Sonny Weir (D.O.B. 29.01.2002) and the 17-year-old youth were found guilty of the following offences at Oxford Crown Court on 11 March 2022:
- Azevedo was convicted of false imprisonment, two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, two counts of administering a noxious substance (heroin and diazepam), and two counts of rape.
- Washington was found guilty of false imprisonment and five counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. She was also convicted of administering a noxious substance (heroin).
- Weir pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to false imprisonment and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. After trial, he was convicted of two counts of administering a noxious substance (heroin and diazepam) and two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
- The youth was convicted of false imprisonment, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and three counts of assault.
- A second 17-year-old was also on trial, but was acquitted of his charges of false imprisonment and assisting an offender.
- Washington was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment at Oxford Crown Court on 20 May 2022.
- Azevedo was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment at the same court on the same date.
- Weir received nine years in prison at the same court on the same date.
- The 17-year-old was sentenced to three years in prison at the same court on the same date.
- Marc Thompson is a Senior Crown Prosecutor and Rape and Serious Sexual Offences specialist for CPS Thames and Chiltern.
- The Crown Prosecution Service is committed to closing the gap between the number of cases being reported and those going to court, to make sure more victims get justice.
- Earlier this year, we highlighted CPS progress in transforming the way rape prosecutions are handled as we published an update to our five year rape strategy – RASSO 2025.