Police officer who raped friend and threatened to abuse her with truncheon and vodka bottle is jailed for more than 16 years
- Ravi Canhye, 47, violently raped a friend while she stayed over at his home
- Victim said that she was so badly bruised that parts of her body turned black
- Canhye, who worked for Dorset Police, also assaulted a second woman
A ‘predatory’ police officer was jailed for over 16 years today for violently raping a friend and sexually assaulting a second woman.
PC Ravi Canhye, who served with Dorset Police, was convicted on two charges of rape, one count of attempted rate, and three charges of assault by penetration. He was also charged with sexual assault against a second woman.
Wincheser Crown Court heard that the 47-year-old, who is originally from Mauritius, slapped and mauled the first victim before pinning her down and raping her.
He verbally abused her and he did so and at one point forced a fist into her mouth to stop her pleas for him to stop. It was heard in court that Canyhe felt ‘power and gratification’ and ‘revelled in seeing her disgust, discomfort and disappointment.’
The violent attack took place as the victim visited his home in Poole, Dorset, while he was off duty on the weekend between April 8 and 11, 2022.
PC Ravi Canhye, who served with Dorset Police, was convicted at Winchester Crown Court
Canhye, who is originally from Mauritius, attacked the first victim in April 2022 while she visited his home in Poole, Dorset
The court heard that Canhye, left, spun ‘out of control’ after drinking heavily which ‘changed or disinhibited him
Canyhe had met the victim in October 2021. He told her that they had feelings for each other on the first night and they had consensual sex.
Prosecutor Sarah Jones KC said that his behaviour changed the following morning and Canhye assaulted his victim in the kitchen before raping her.
She said that he spun ‘out of control’ after drinking heavily which ‘changed or disinhibited him’. He behaved like an ‘animal’, the court heard.
Canhye threatened to abuse his victim with his truncheon and a vodka bottle, the court heard. Canyhe, who denied the offences, claimed that the sex was consensual.
Prosecutor Jones said: ‘He just did what he wanted. He was so wrapped up in his own needs and desires he saw both her and her friend as objects ready to use and abuse.
‘It came to a point where, she says, every time he was being too rough, when he was hurting her, that was exciting him and that made him worse at what he did.’
She added: ‘She considered he was behaving like an animal and that she considered him to be behaving like an animal seemed to drive him on more.’
The victim, who fought to control her emotions as she gave evidence, said she ‘trusted him as he was a police officer’.
The court heard that Canhye ‘was so wrapped up in his own needs and desires he saw both her and her friend as objects ready to use and abuse’
Canhye is alleged to have carried out the offences against the first victim while he was off duty between April 8 and 11, 2022
PC Ravi Canhye, got ‘power and gratification’ from abusing the woman as she begged him to stop, the court heard
She said that she ‘was scared and really frightened’ and that he was ‘aggressive and forceful.’
In a victim impact statement that was read out in court on her behalf, she said that she suffered from anxiety, nightmares, and flashbacks.
She said she was ‘battered and bruised’ after the attack and said: ‘The indignity of it was almost unbearable.’
She suffered such bad bruising as a result of his ‘manhandling’ that intimate parts of her body turned black.
The victim added that she isolated from friends following the attack and had felt suicidal.
Judge Jane Miller said that she had suffered ‘a persistent, degrading and truly overwhelming episode of sexual and physical humiliation.’
She told Canhye: ‘Your being a serving police officer is an aggravating feature, your status means your victims placed a level of trust in you.’
‘The public should be able to expect higher standards from a police officer.’
Canhye has been placed on the sex offenders register and been made subject to a sexual harm prevention order requiring him to notify police of any future sexual relationships.
He has also had a restraining order issued against him.
The sexual assault against the second victim happened on the following day when the pair returned to the defendant’s home out of concern for his wellbeing because of his heavy drinking.
He assaulted her as she sat on his sofa.
The second victim said she had been shocked that Canhye was a police officer.
‘I couldn’t believe someone who behaved like that could be one, he has abused his position of trust,’ she said, adding that she felt ‘frightened to leave her home.’
Dorset Police has confirmed that Canhye, who had been in public service for more than 20 years, was suspended after the allegations were made and faces misconduct proceedings.
Canhye moved from Mauritius to work in psychiatric health before he became a special police officer and then joined the Metropolitan Police in 2009. He later moved to Dorset Police.
He won a National Policing Award in 2009 as a special Constable in Ealing, West London, for his work identifying people with mental health issues.
James Newton-Price, defending, said that Canhye had resigned from the force and added: ‘The outcome is devastating for Mr Canhye, not only in relation to his good name but his career.’
He added: ‘He would not have behaved as he did other than for his heavy alcohol consumption.’
His first victim said that she that she suffered from anxiety, nightmares, and flashbacks
Dorset Police said that Canhye had behaved in a way that was ‘clearly criminal and utterly unacceptable’
Dorset Police Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Rachel Farrell said: ‘I would like to thank the victims for their courage to come forward to report these abhorrent crimes to us and supporting our investigation as well as the strength they have shown throughout the court process.
‘I hope this sends a message to all victims of sexual abuse that we will do all we can to investigate offences and ensure offenders are brought to justice, while we will also make sure victims are supported.
‘We have been able to bring this case before the court due to the thorough investigation conducted by our highly-trained detectives and I would like to recognise their work as well as the support our specialist officers provided to the victims.
‘PC Canhye has behaved in a way that is clearly criminal and utterly unacceptable, especially when bearing in mind the trust the public should be able to have in him as a member of the police service.
‘There is no place in Dorset Police for those who commit sexual offences.
‘I understand that these crimes will cause concern for our community and the fact that they were committed by a police officer is even more abhorrent.
‘We are determined to root out officers who commit such offences as well as domestic abuse or show discriminatory, abusive or misogynistic behaviours.
‘I hope that responding robustly to allegations of any violence against women by police officers or staff sends a strong message to the public about our standards and values and builds confidence in how we respond to all allegations.
‘Our unique powers and responsibilities mean we must hold ourselves to the highest standards.’
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