Man locks woman inside shop and rapes her after saying she could charge her phone

Swapnil Kulat jailed for seven years and eight months for 'despicable' attack

Swapnil Kulat has been jailed for rape, false imprisonment and ABH (Greater Manchester Police)

A man who locked a woman inside a shop, beat her and raped her after claiming she could charge her phone has been jailed.

Swapnil Kulat, of no fixed abode, was sentenced to seven years and eight months in prison after pleading guilty to rape, false imprisonment and causing actual bodily harm at Manchester Crown Court.

Police said his victim had been on her way to a friend’s house when she realised her phone’s battery was flat on 19 March.

She walked into the shop where 30-year-old Kulat was working in Withington to ask if she could charge it briefly inside.

“After she plugged her phone in, Kulat locked up the shop, became aggressive and refused to allow her to leave,” a spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said.

“He hit the woman in the face and the body with a wooden pole repeatedly, causing serious bruising and swelling. The attack was so vicious that the pole actually broke into several pieces.

“Kulat then demanded that she went into the store room, where he raped her before falling asleep.”

Detective Constable Laura Hughes, from the force’s sexual offences unit, called the attack “despicable”.

“Kulat subjected her to a violent and terrifying ordeal which will haunt her for the rest of her life and nothing will repair the psychological damage he has inflicted,” she added.

“I want to commend her bravery in coming forward to report this shocking attack and helping to secure this conviction.”

Police said help and support would always be available for victims of sexual offenders, saying they would do everything possible “to bring these people to justice”.