A rapist who “terrorised” an Adelaide woman for three years has been jailed for more than two decades, while the victim has been praised for her “bravery and courage” in reporting his crimes to police.
Mohammad Ali Ahmad Rezaei, 46, was found guilty by a District Court jury last year of five counts of rape and single counts of threatening to distribute an invasive image, aggravated threatening harm and threatening a person involved in a criminal proceeding.
On Monday, Judge Liesl Kudelka jailed Rezaei – who came to Australia from Iran in 2011 to escape persecution — for 21 years and 10 months, and set a non-parole period of 16 years, 11 months and one week.
“You terrorised [the victim] sexually, physically, mentally and emotionally,” she said.
“There is no doubt that the seriousness of your offending is such that the only penalty that may be imposed is one of imprisonment.”
Judge Kudelka said Rezaei’s offending involved raping the victim multiple times — including in front of her children – as well as threatening to distribute videos of his crimes to people in his homeland.
She said those threats exposed the victim to fears she could be blamed and killed as a result.
“She believed you. She could not take the gamble of not believing you,” Judge Kudelka said.
“She said that in her culture, there is no value for women so if a father or brother hears something like that, they can kill their daughter or sister.”
Judge Kudelka praised the victim, who approached police in 2020 after Rezaei threatened to run over her eldest child in a car.
She said the woman had “sacrificed her own safety to protect her child” when she reported the crimes.
“Thank you for doing what you did and reporting it to the police. This final result is because of your bravery and courage,” she said.
“I know that no sentence will overcome the trauma and the harm that you have suffered.
“I hope you find some peace in the coming years and I hope you will keep your children safe and close.”
Judge Kudelka said Rezaei’s offending also included a “calculated” attempt to use another person to pressure her to have the charges dropped.
Rezaei’s sentence was backdated to November 3 last year, when he was taken into custody.
He will be eligible for parole in October 2040.