A 30-year-old man has been sentenced to seven and a half years in prison following his conviction for raping a man in his 20s near Liverpool Cathedral.
Ibrahim Momen, who has no fixed abode and is originally from Sudan, was found guilty by a jury at Liverpool Crown Court. The attack occurred in the early hours of Sunday 29 June 2025 on St James’ Mount in Liverpool city centre.
Momen appeared before the court on Friday for sentencing, where he also received a restraining order in addition to the custodial sentence.
Investigation and Trial
Following the victim’s report, Merseyside Police launched an investigation which led to Momen’s arrest and subsequent charge. Despite what officers described as the weight of evidence against him, Momen denied the offences, forcing the victim to give evidence at trial.
Detective Constable Chris Condliff, who led the investigation, praised the victim’s resilience throughout the ordeal. “I wanted to acknowledge the victim’s courage and dignity throughout both the investigation and the court proceedings,” he said.
DC Condliff emphasised that the additional trauma of participating in a contested court process had placed further strain on the victim.
Support for Victims
The officer in charge stressed that Merseyside Police remains committed to protecting victims of sexual offences regardless of their gender. “Anyone who reports such an incident would be both safeguarded and supported for the duration of the investigation,” DC Condliff explained.
He confirmed that specially trained officers and Sexual Violence Advocates are involved in providing relevant support to victims throughout the investigative process.
According to DC Condliff, the force works alongside partner organisations including Victim Care Support Service and RASA to provide ongoing help to victims of these crimes. “There is a dedicated team whose role is to handle these reports professionally and compassionately and we will do all they can to bring perpetrators before the courts,” he added.
The detective urged anyone who has been a victim of sexual offences, is worried about someone’s safety, or suspects others of engaging in such criminal behaviour to come forward. He emphasised that all such reports are treated with great seriousness.
How to Report
Victims or witnesses of sexual offences can report to the police by calling 101, where they will speak to specially trained officers. Information can also be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
The Victim Care Merseyside service, delivered jointly through the Police and Crime Commissioner’s office, offers support across the region. In Liverpool, Sefton and Wirral, RASA Merseyside can be contacted on 0151 558 1801. In St Helens and Knowsley, support is provided by RASASC Cheshire and Merseyside on 01925 221 546 or 0330 363 0063.
The Home Office pilot service StreetSafe allows people to anonymously report locations where they have felt unsafe due to environmental factors such as poor street lighting, abandoned buildings or vandalism, or behaviour-based concerns including being followed or verbally abused. However, this service is not intended for reporting crimes or incidents.
For reporting crimes or incidents, including those in online public spaces, the public should call 101 or visit Police.uk for online reporting options.
