Brixton teenager serial rapist detained after campaign of sexual violence

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Kevarnie QueenImage source, Met Police
Image caption,

Kevarnie Queen, 19, from Brixton, groomed his victims on Snapchat, the court heard

A teenage serial rapist has been detained for 12 years after committing a three-year campaign of sexual violence against six young women.

Kevarnie Queen, 19, from Brixton, south London, was 15 years old when he attacked most of his victims, all of whom were under 18.

He met all but one of them on Snapchat.

Sentencing Queen, Honorary Recorder of Southwark Judge Usha Karu said he had been "manipulative" and the victims were "severely traumatised".

The defendant was told the longest he would remain in custody was 12 years, after which he would remain on extended licence for four years.

Queen was convicted in August of 22 counts of rape between 2019 and 2022, following a trial at Inner London Crown Court.

Referring to the victims, the judge said: "They have all been severely traumatised by the events. Given their youth this is likely to be long lasting."

Expanding on the victim impact statements read out in court last week, the judge said the women told of attempting suicide or having suicidal thoughts, being manipulated by Queen, being unable to trust men and no longer believing in love.

Referring to one of the women, the judge said: "[She] speaks of your manipulative behaviour and how she 'lost' herself.

'Prolific sexual predator'

"She had confided in you about having been previously abused and you took advantage of her vulnerability.

"She suffers from flashbacks, her present relationship has been affected, she finds it difficult to trust others and has relived past trauma that she had tried to bury."

Judge Karu told Queen: "You are a confident young man and appear to continue to hold the same firm views in respect of sex, and entitlement to it, which you did at the time of offending."

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) described him as a "prolific sexual predator" who had "no regard for his victims".

The court heard Queen had the "chance of training for professional football" and that "a likely promising future has been cut short" because of his offending.

An author of a pre-sentence report stated that Queen had "entrenched beliefs regarding females and entitlement to sex" and described himself as being "a 100% player".

Following his conviction in August, Laura Devitt, senior crown prosecutor from the Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Unit in London South, commended the "immense bravery and mental fortitude" of the victims to come forward.

"Queen has clearly demonstrated he saw these young girls' existence purely for his own satisfaction," she said.

"His misogynistic and deplorable actions have now been exposed for what they are."

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