Brooke Desalanié, a 33-year-old migrant from Eritrea, has been convicted in London of raping an elderly man. The incident took place outside a church in the northwestern part of the British capital, with police describing the defendant as a “dangerous offender.” It was just after midnight on July 23 of last year when, according to the Daily Mail, the elderly man was outside St John’s Church in Harrow. During the trial, it emerged that Desalanié lifted the man from a bench and carried him behind a fence to a grassy area hidden from view — where the assault took place. The attack continued for approximately 20 minutes until a woman nearby noticed what was happening and immediately alerted police, who dispatched officers to the scene.
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The 33-year-old’s movements were captured on video
Authorities also obtained footage from the local council’s CCTV system, which became a key piece of evidence in the legal proceedings. The footage captured part of the assault as normal traffic continued on the street outside — cars and a double-decker bus passing by the church just metres away. At Harrow Crown Court, prosecutor Simon Shannon described to jurors exactly what had been recorded by the camera. He explained that Desalanié can be seen lifting the elderly man, who was heavily intoxicated, and carrying him from the bench to the grassy area. The prosecution also noted that the presence of passers-by appeared to influence his behaviour — whenever someone approached, the 33-year-old allegedly stopped and waited for them to move on before continuing. Officers arrived shortly after, finding the victim lying on the ground while the defendant was standing near the church sign.
“I wanted to help him,” he claimed
In his initial statement to authorities, Desalanié effectively denied attacking the elderly man. He claimed he had seen him drunk and insisted his intention was simply to help him. The victim’s identity cannot be published due to the nature of the case. The interrogation took a sharp turn when officers showed Desalanié the CCTV footage. He then requested a break to speak with his lawyer, and when the interview resumed, he refused to answer any further questions. He later chose not to testify before the jury either. His defence lawyers attempted to challenge the charges, arguing that the evidence was insufficient to establish rape. They also urged jurors to avoid an “instinctive” reaction against their client. The court was unconvinced by the defence’s arguments, and Desalanié was found guilty.
“He targeted a defenceless, vulnerable, elderly man”
Following the conclusion of the trial, the lead investigating officer described Desalanié as a “dangerous offender” who “targeted a defenceless, vulnerable, elderly man.” The officer also highlighted the crucial role played by members of the public, noting that the prompt call to police allowed authorities to arrive in time and make an immediate arrest. “Thanks to members of the public who called police, he was arrested at the scene, charged the following day, and remanded into custody by the court,” the officer said. Following the conviction, police also reached out to any other potential victims of sexual violence, urging them not to hesitate to come forward and assuring them of full support from the relevant services.
