A 27-year-old Nigerian man, Qudus Ajeyemi, has been found guilty of attempting to rape a woman after following her upstairs at a house in Hull, United Kingdom, and ignoring her repeated refusals during a night out. Ajeyemi, formerly of May Street off Beverley Road in Hull and more recently living in Manchester, was convicted at Hull Crown Court on Friday, May 29, 2026, of attempted rape by a 10-2 majority verdict and of sexual assault by a unanimous decision.
Details of the incident
Charlotte Baines, prosecuting, told the court that Ajeyemi – nicknamed Spartan – and others were invited to a "party" night out in Hull, including at a club. The woman, who had consumed a significant amount of alcohol including champagne and vodka, began to feel unwell and went upstairs in the house to lie down and sleep. Ajeyemi followed her into the room, where he began touching her intimately. Despite her clear protests, telling him she was “not here for that” and instructing him to stop, he persisted, removing her underwear and his own trousers in an attempt to rape her while holding her down.
Victim's struggle and evidence
The woman fought back, and during the struggle she was pushed off the bed before fleeing downstairs in distress. Prosecutors described her evidence as compelling and reliable. Ajeyemi later sealed his own fate by agreeing to a FaceTime call with the victim, during which he confessed that what he had done was wrong and repeatedly apologised. He also sent her text messages begging for forgiveness.
Defense and verdict
In police interviews, he denied the attempted rape, claiming the pair had only kissed and cuddled and that he had stopped when she said no. Ajeyemi, who had no previous convictions in the UK and was in the country as an international student, was remanded in custody following the verdicts. He had been on bail during the trial. Sentencing is expected in the coming weeks. The victim initially hesitated to report the incident, concerned about the potential impact on Ajeyemi’s education and visa status, but ultimately came forward out of fear that he might offend against someone else.
