Policeman who became ‘an animal’ after drinking is convicted of raping friend

Pc Ravi Canhye, of Dorset Police, was also found guilty of the sexual assault of a second victim.

Pc Ravi Canhye of Dorset Police leaves Winchester Crown Court, Hampshire, where he is charged with two counts of rape, one count of attempted rape and five of sexual assault against two women. Canhye is alleged to have carried out the offences while he was off duty between April 8 and 11 2022. Picture date: Monday September 25, 2023. (PA Wire)

A police officer who became an “animal” after drinking heavily has been found guilty of raping a friend and sexually assaulting another.

Pc Ravi Canhye, who serves with Dorset Police, was convicted of two charges of rape, one count of attempted rape, three charges of assault of penetration and sexual assault against her and against the second woman.

The trial at Winchester Crown Court heard that the 47-year-old from Poole slapped and bit the first victim before pinning her down and raping her.

He then threatened to abuse her with his truncheon and a vodka bottle, the court was told.

He pushed me on to the bed, I was just really scared, frightened. He was really aggressive, he was really forceful, I have never seen him like that

Victim

Judge Jane Miller KC said that she was considering a prison sentence and adjourned the case for Canhye to be sentenced on Thursday.

She told the defendant: “You have been unanimously convicted by the jury of all counts on the indictment, I am going to sentence you tomorrow, you will be remanded in custody until that time.”

Sarah Jones KC, prosecuting, told the jury that the complainant was a friend of the defendant’s who had previously considered a romantic relationship with him but he had ruled this out.

She said that during the weekend in April, Canhye, who has a drinking problem, had “become a completely” different person and attacked his friend despite the pair having had consensual sex the night before.

Ms Jones said that the defendant “span out of control” after drinking heavily which “changed or disinhibited” him.

Ms Jones said the victim became frightened of the defendant and added: “Every time he was being too rough, when he was hurting her, that was exciting him and that made him worse at what he did.”

She added: “She considered he was behaving like an animal and that she considered him to be behaving like an animal seemed to drive him on more.”

Giving evidence, the first complainant said that she had trusted the defendant because he was a police officer and he had been “kind and gentle” with her previously.

She said: “He was a friend, I liked him, very polite, very courteous towards me, I trusted him as a friend, I also trusted him because he was a police officer. I did have some feelings but I didn’t vocalise them.”

She said that Canhye suddenly attacked her by “forcefully” putting his hand down her trousers.

She said: “He pushed me on to the bed, I was just really scared, frightened. He was really aggressive, he was really forceful, I have never seen him like that.”

Ms Jones told the court that the victim later managed to leave the defendant’s house but returned with a friend.

She said that out of concern that the defendant could enter a state of “detox” if he did not have alcohol, the first complainant went to the shop to buy him some drink.

The defendant then began masturbating in front of the second friend as she wiped his face with a flannel in a bid to cool him down and he then sexually assaulted her by putting his hand up her skirt.

Speaking after the hearing, Dorset Police’s temporary deputy chief constable, Rachel Farrell, said: “I would like to thank the victims for their courage to come forward to report these abhorrent crimes to us and supporting our investigation as well as the strength they have shown throughout the court process.”

She said that Canhye would face misconduct proceedings and added: “I hope this sends a message to all victims of sexual abuse that we will do all we can to investigate offences and ensure offenders are brought to justice, while we will also make sure victims are supported.

“Pc Canhye has behaved in a way that is clearly criminal and utterly unacceptable, especially when bearing in mind the trust the public should be able to have in him as a member of the police service.

“There is no place in Dorset Police for those who commit sexual offences.

“I understand that these crimes will cause concern for our community and the fact that they were committed by a police officer is even more abhorrent.

“We are determined to root out officers who commit such offences as well as domestic abuse or show discriminatory, abusive or misogynistic behaviours.”