Woman raped and killed on bench in Southall - court

Earlier that night Natalie Shotter was captured on CCTV footage dancing outside a shop with other people.

A "vulnerable" woman was raped and killed by a stranger while she was unconscious on a park bench after a night out, a court has heard.

Natalie Shotter, 37, had been on a night out enjoying herself before she was allegedly attacked by Mohamed Iidow, a stranger.

At the opening of the trial at the Old Bailey on Wednesday, jurors were told she was found dead by a passer-by in Southall Park, west London, on the morning of 17 July 2021.

Mr Iidow who is 35 and lives in Hounslow, west London, denies two charges of rape and manslaughter.

This article contains distressing details.

Jurors were told that Ms Shotter was little more than 5ft tall and weighed just 43kg (6st 11lb)

Opening the case on Wednesday, prosecutor Alison Morgan KC said: "The prosecution's case is that Natalie was a vulnerable woman, out at night enjoying herself, who was then taken advantage of by this defendant.

"Natalie Shotter does not appear to have been conscious at the time that she was raped, let alone consenting to the defendant. He could never have believed that she was consenting.

"It was the process of raping Natalie repeatedly that caused her death."

Ms Morgan told jurors that it had taken time to understand what happened to Ms Shotter that night and what caused her death.

CCTV footage showed her barely moving and that she appeared to have been unconscious when she was raped and therefore could not have consented, Ms Morgan said.

Earlier that night, Ms Shotter was captured on other CCTV footage dancing outside a shop with other people.

Jurors were told the victim was little more than 5ft tall (152cm) and weighed just 43kg (6st 11lb).

The trial has been adjourned until Friday.