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Rape victim waives anonymity to speak to weekly

A weekly paper published a rape victim’s horrific account of her attack after she agreed to waive her automatic anonymity.

Student Jess Bugden spoke to the Medway Messenger, forgoing her right to lifelong anonymity so she could talk openly about her ordeal at the hands of rapist Babritundre Mustapha.

Mustapha, of First Avenue, Chatham, was jailed for nine years after admitting carrying out the horrific hour-long attack.

Messenger editor Bob Bounds praised Miss Bugden’s bravery in coming forward.

“This was a very brave step by the victim, but the detail contained in the story really brought home the horror of Mustapha’s crime,” he said.

Following the sentencing at Maidstone Crown Court, Miss Bugden told the paper: “I have had flashbacks and I am on sleeping pills. I even felt like committing suicide.

“I only sleep during the day because I know there will be people around. There were times when I did not want to go through with the court case, but I had my family’s support.

“This has made me grow up and I now just want to get on with life.”

Going public was an even bigger risk for the student as her father James – who fully supported her decsion – claimed he had received death threats trying to convince him to make his daughter to drop her testimony.

He added: “I was determined to see this case through, to make sure justice was done. You see these things happen on television, but don’t expect it to happen to you.”