Newtownards: Man jailed for raping teenage girl in Londonderry Park

The sentence was handed at Downpatrick Crown Court, sitting in Belfast

A 32-year old man has been handed a seven-year sentence for raping a teenage girl in a park in Newtownards, County Down.

Deividas Burbulas carried out the assault at Londonderry Park in the early hours of 15 September 2019.

The Lithuanian national denied the charge and stood trial earlier this year at Downpatrick Crown Court, sitting in Belfast.

In April, the jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict.

Burbulas, with an address at Thomas Street in Portadown, was back in court on Tuesday where he was handed the seven-year sentence.

This was divided equally between prison and licence by Judge Geoffrey Miller KC who presided over the trial.

He also placed Burbulas on the Sex Offenders Register for an indefinite period.

As he imposed the sentence, Judge Miller said: "The victim was vulnerable through her intoxicated state and the defendant, who was a stranger to her, deliberately took advantage of this to commit the offence."

During the trial, the jury heard that on Saturday 14 September 2019 the injured party, who was 17 at the time, came home from work, had her dinner then started drinking vodka and Iron Bru.

She contacted her friend and arranged to meet him in Conway Square in the centre of Newtownards.

The serious sexual assault happened at Londonderry Park on the Portaferry Road

When she arrived at the Square, she encountered Burbulas who was with two male friends.

She met her friend, who left the Square to go and get cigarettes.

At this point, she started chatting to Burbulas and his friends and cadged a cigarette from them.

She continued to drink, then the group left the Square and walked to the Duck Pond.

After consuming more alcohol at the Duck Pond, the group walked back into town and made their way to the East Street home Burbulas shared with a relative at the time.

In the early hours of Sunday 15 September, the relative was annoyed at the noise and asked the group to leave.

They made their way to Londonderry Park, on the Portaferry Road, and due to her intoxication, the victim has very little memory of how she got there.

During Tuesday's sentencing, Judge Miller said: "Her memory of what happened once she got to the park was confined to waking up and seeing the defendant on top having sex with her and being aware of the other two men standing and laughing."

'Lack of remorse'

Two police officers on mobile patrol in the area witnessed a man being chased by a woman at 06:15 BST.

They stopped the car and spoke to them and the injured party - who police noted to be "distraught" - alleged she had just been raped and when police took her to the location in the park, they found a white sock, her pink pants and Burbulas's mobile phone.

Whilst the injured party was taken to the Rowan Centre for examination, Burbulas was arrested on suspicion of rape.

He subsequently presented police with several versions of what he claimed happened, including how he had attempted to have intercourse with the girl after she instigated sexual activity, which were rejected by the jury.

Judge Miller said that Burbulas continues to deny the offence which he said indicated a "lack of remorse".

As well as jailing Burbulas and placing him in the Sex Offenders Register, Judge Miller also made him the subject of a 10-year Sexual Offences Prevention Order.

'Long-lasting trauma'

Speaking after sentence was passed, Det Sgt Rebecca Hedley said: "Deividas Burbulas acted callously in his actions, with total disregard to consent of the victim, leaving her shaken and with undoubtedly long-lasting trauma.

"There is no defence for disregarding sexual consent. If you take advantage of someone the way Deividas Burbulas did, you are committing a crime and detectives will work hard to bring you before the courts to answer for your crimes.

"We would like to commend the young woman for her bravery in coming forward and throughout the investigation and trial process. Your courage should be commended.

"As a police service, we urge anyone who has been the victim of sexual abuse to come forward and report to us."