A “vile predator” who attempted to rape a woman while she was sleeping in a train station tried to justify his actions by saying "she isn't dead".

Amer Mohamed, 31, and of no fixed address, was found guilty of attempted rape at Inner London Crown Court on  July 20.

On Thursday (19 October) a judge sentenced him at the same court to 11 years in prison and five years on licence.

At around 5am on July 23, 2022, Mohamed approached the victim, who he had never met before, as she slept in King’s Cross station.

She awoke to find Mohamed exposing himself and forcibly trying to rape her, British Transport Police (BTP) said.

The victim challenged him and tried to stop him, but Mohammed overpowered her and carried on the determined attack for half an hour, until her friend woke up and intervened.

The victim approached BTP officers later that morning at the station to report what happened.

She was able to identify him and he was arrested at the scene and taken to police custody.

When asked about consent in his police interview, Mohamed claimed that if someone was asleep it was okay to have sex with them because “they aren’t dead”.

He was shown CCTV of the incident, which was captured in its entirety, and claimed he was just  “trying to help [the victim] sleep properly".

In court the judge praised the care and attention of BTP's investigating officer towards the victim. 

Det Con Rachel Parfitt said: “I am incredibly pleased to see a significant custodial sentence handed down to a Amer Mohammed today – particularly on behalf of the victim who after enduring such an abhorrent attack, showed great courage in coming forward and supporting our investigation throughout.

"It is because of such bravery that this vile predator has faced justice today and will spend the foreseeable future behind bars.

“It is beyond contemptible that he has not only shown a complete lack of remorse for his actions but actively tried to defend himself, claiming on record that it’s fine have sex with someone if they are asleep.

“I will be absolutely clear that it is not and we will work relentlessly to ensure sexual offenders like him are brought before the courts to face the full force of the law."