A 50-year-old Indian-origin man, who was accused of using the lure of jobs at his massage parlour to rape young women across London, has been sentenced to 18 years’ imprisonment following a Scotland Yard investigation.
Raghu Singamaneni was unanimously found guilty by the jury of the rape and sexual assault involving four women and sentenced at Wood Green Crown Court on Friday.
The trial heard how Singamaneni ran two massage parlours on Holloway Road, Islington, and High Road, Wood Green, in north London.
He would advertise on a jobs app for women to come and work at the parlour and would make appointments to meet the women and then carry out sexual assaults, the Metropolitan Police said.
“This man used his position of authority to carry out a string of sexual assaults on young women. Many of these women were lured by the hope of employment, but were then subjected to the most dreadful sexual assaults,” said Detective Constable Hussain Sayem, who led the investigation.
“I have no doubt that Singamaneni thought these women would never speak out against him or would never be believed. He was wrong, these women did have the courage to speak out and the jury found him guilty by a unanimous verdict. Some sexual predators believe they can get away with their crimes, but this case shows they cannot and will be brought to justice,” he said.
“Lastly, we know Singamaneni is a serial offender and it is entirely possible he has attacked other women who have not felt able to come forward and report their ordeal to police. I would urge anyone in this position to get in contact and quote Operation Sting – you will be listened to and supported by specially trained officers,” he added.
The first victim who reported the matter to the police was 17 – she had arranged to meet Singamaneni for an interview.
She told police that she met him at the parlour and he went through the training she would need.
She again met Singamaneni at the parlour the next day and he gave her a glass of prosecco, and she told police she then became so intoxicated she was sick.
Singamaneni then took her to a hotel where he carried out a sexual assault, namely attempting to rape the woman and carrying out a sexual assault.
Just over two weeks later the victim made a complaint at Tottenham police station in London and Singamaneni was arrested and released under investigation while further enquiries were made.
A second offence related to a 19-year-old woman who reported an allegation of rape which occurred at her place of work in north London. She told police that Singamaneni had asked for a massage, insisted that she drink some vodka and then raped her.
Enquiries revealed another offence occurred when the victim, a 23-year-old woman, arranged to meet Singamaneni after answering a job advert. She arranged to meet him at a hotel and when they entered the hotel room Singamaneni plied her with alcohol and later forcibly removed her clothing and raped her.
The last offence happened at another north London hotel involving a 17-year-old female, who had also applied for a job as a masseur and had spoken to a woman about an interview. The woman told her to go to the hotel she would meet someone to have a trial massage.
Singamaneni offered her drinks and drugs and then raped her. She left the hotel and called a friend who then called the police.
The Met Police said detectives compiled sufficient evidence from the women and Singamaneni was arrested and subsequently convicted of three counts of rape; two counts of sexual assault and one count of attempted rape – relating to four women.