The victim of a horrific attempted rape in Cardiff Bay has told of her relief after police caught her “dangerous” attacker three years after her ordeal.
Stanislav Demater, 40, has been jailed after DNA breakthrough helped bring him to justice
Stanislav Demater’s attack has left his victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, so terrified she cannot even go to the supermarket on her own and won’t walk anywhere.
The 40-year-old was jailed to 10 years in prison for the attempted rape earlier this week.
But his victim, who was 19 at the time, said her whole life has been turned upside down by the attack in the early hours of Halloween 2013.
It had started as an innocent night out...
“We had been celebrating my then boyfriend’s birthday,” explains the woman.
“There had been a party at a flat in the Bay and then we had gone into town.
“I lost my boyfriend and went outside of the club to look for him. I couldn’t see him, but then they wouldn’t let me back in.
“I was really cross because I hadn’t been drinking as I had been working that day and had to work again the next morning.
“I also wanted to get out of my Halloween costume so decided to just walk home. I had done it before and never expected anything would happen.”
Suddenly, she noticed him
But as she made her way from Cardiff city centre to the Bay she became aware of Demater in front of her.
“About half way home I noticed him, but I didn’t think too much of it because he was walking in front of me,” she remembers.
“But then suddenly he was behind me. He had hidden behind a wall and waited for me to walk past.
“There were so many thoughts going through my head. My phone had died on the journey, so I started to walk as quickly as I could.
“It had gone midnight and there was no-one around. There is a park bit that you walk through that is completely dark and I could see someone at the other side so I went through it as fast as I could. I have never walked so fast in my life.”
Demater grabbed her
The terrified victim thought she had got to safety at the end of the walk when Demater asked her for a light.
“I was relieved because I thought maybe that was all he had wanted, but then he grabbed me and attacked,” she said.
“I ran off afterwards, but I looked round and couldn’t believe how casually he was standing in the street.
“There was no panic on his face. I was completely distressed. I managed to find a concierge who got me a phone and I called my dad. All I wanted was my family.
“He told me to put the phone down and call the police straightaway.”
DNA and CCTV footage
The police were on the scene almost immediately and managed to get DNA from the scene and found CCTV footage of him in the area, but it wasn’t until three years later that they found a match.
Demater was arrested on an unconnected matter in January 2016 when an officer noticed him acting suspiciously in Cardiff city centre.
When brought into custody his DNA was taken and found to match that recovered at the location of the sexual assault.
Further analysis of the victim’s clothing also revealed a DNA match.
The victim had given up hope of ever finding her attacker.
The attack has left a life-long impact
“I struggled with it for such a long time,” she said. “It was always there in the back of my mind.
“I can’t go to the supermarket on my own. I won’t walk anywhere and rely on my car completely.
“I think I had watched too many soaps because I thought it was going to be solved straightaway. After a year of nothing I was feeling really down.”
An appeal was even aired on Crimewatch, but there were no leads.
The moment police called
She was in her car when she got the news of a breakthrough in the inquiry came through.
“The police had been calling me with regular updates, so when I got a call I thought it was going to be more of the same,” she said.
“I even made a bit of joke of it when he came on the hands free about it being my ‘six monthly no news’ update.
“When he said they had got him I nearly crashed the car. I had to pull over because I was so overwhelmed and just burst out crying.
“There were so many emotions because I just hadn’t expected it.”
Will be on sex offenders' register for life
The 40-year-old subsequently pleaded guilty to attempted rape and sexual assault and was sentenced at Newport Crown Court.
The court ordered an extended sentence of 15 years comprising of a 10-year custodial term and five-year supervision upon his release.
He will be on the sex offenders’ register for life.
His victim is pleased that they have got “this dangerous man” and that he has been locked up, but her life has been completely turned around by the events of that night.
“Before the attack I was a really confident, but this has changed every aspect of my life. It has been a struggle coming to terms with what happened.
“But I am so, so grateful to the police and everything they have done for me. They have done everything they can to help every step of the way.
“They told me that they would find him, and they followed through with that promise.”
No stone was left unturned, say police
Detective Sergeant Gavin Sullivan, from South Wales Police, said: “South Wales Police takes all reports of sexual violence extremely seriously and no stone was left unturned to identify the person responsible, and bring him to justice.
“Our investigation took us all over the UK as we tried to identify the suspect through all possible means including CCTV, press appeals, and DNA checks.
“It was the vigilance and professionalism of officers in Cardiff city centre in January 2016 then eventually led to Demater’s arrest. Excellent work by detectives ensured his conviction.
“We would like to thank the media for their appeals in relation to this investigation and also the local community for their support.
“We hope that the victim, who has shown such bravery and patience, can now put this traumatic ordeal behind her and move on with her life.”
see-http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/victim-sex-attack-scared-go-11710904
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