A woman passed away from a heart attack after being assaulted by a stranger while she was unconscious on a park bench, a court was informed.
Warning: This article contains information that may be disturbing to some readers.
Natalie Shotter, 37, had been enjoying a night out before she was sexually assaulted and died while resting on a bench in Southall Park, located in west London, jurors heard.
Mohamed Iidow, 35, stands trial facing charges of rape and manslaughter. He has denied both allegations.
According to prosecutor Alison Morgan KC, Ms. Shotter succumbed to a heart attack triggered by Iidow’s repeated sexual assaults against her.
The court displayed CCTV footage showing Ms. Shotter seated on a bench alongside another man when, as asserted by the prosecution, Iidow walked by and glanced at them.
He subsequently exited the park and drove away, only to return later, the jurors learned.
The prosecutor mentioned that Ms. Shotter was lying down without “any noticeable movement” for approximately 30 minutes prior to the defendant approaching her “casually”.
During the supposed assault, the victim was “profoundly unconscious,” she stated.
Ms. Morgan elaborated: “What was the defendant doing there, what was he intending to do, meandering through the paths in the middle of the night and contemplating what his aims were – targeting a vulnerable woman to assault.”
Jurors were presented with CCTV footage which, according to the prosecution, depicted the defendant adjusting Ms. Shotter’s body into various positions while he sexually assaulted her.
Ms. Morgan informed the jurors: “She was not lifeless at the moment the defendant was orally assaulting her; this is a crucial consideration for you – that this defendant went to the park with ulterior motives.”
“He would not have chosen to engage in sexual acts with a deceased individual for over 15 minutes; he was having sexual relations with someone he recognized was alive but profoundly unconscious, and thus he was assaulting her.”
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Ms. Shotter’s remains were discovered in Southall Park by a passerby in the early hours of July 17, 2021, as the court had previously noted.
Swabs collected from Ms. Shotter’s mouth matched DNA profiles taken from the defendant, the court stated.
The trial is scheduled to resume on Monday.
