A man already serving a prison sentence for rapes committed in Bedfordshire has been convicted of a further offence after a victim came forward following a TV programme.
Mohammed Altaher, 41, was found guilty of rape at Aylesbury Crown Court on Tuesday, 8 April, after his case featured in an episode of 24 Hours in Police Custody titled “The Predator”.
Further victim comes forward
Altaher had previously been jailed in 2023 for 10 years after being convicted of raping two men he had met through the dating app Grindr.
Following the broadcast of the programme, a further victim reported that he had been raped by Altaher in 2019.
Bedfordshire Police worked with Thames Valley Police, which led the investigation, to gather evidence and progress the case.
Footage from the television programme was also used as evidence in court.
Altaher, currently in custody at HMP Bure in Norfolk, was sentenced to five years in prison with a further seven years on extended licence.
The sentence will run concurrently with his existing Bedfordshire sentence.
Previous offences
In 2023, Altaher, a former doctor, was convicted of two rapes following an investigation by Bedfordshire Police’s Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RASSO) team.
The court heard he had targeted men he met online before carrying out the assaults.
Read: Narcissistic Bedford doctor jailed for rape of two men he met on Grindr dating app
PC Heather Hutchinson, a specialist-trained officer from the RASSO team, said the programme had helped the victim build confidence to come forward.
“Not only does 24 Hours in Police Custody play a vital role in educating the public on issues such as consent, but it also helps to build public trust and gives victims the confidence to come forward,” she said.
“I want to commend the immense bravery of the original victims who first spoke out about their experiences, as well as the courage shown by the victim who came forward after the programme aired.
“In this case, that courage led directly to further evidence being secured and a dangerous offender being held to account.”
