Sudanese refugee jailed for rape

April 17, 2008, Adelaide Now:

A FORMER child soldier who raped a pregnant woman at knifepoint at a Seaton home was jailed today for eight years.

The victim told the District Court Abraham Ayei Mel threatened to cut out her unborn child if she screamed during the attack.

Mel, 31, of Woodville, was found guilty by a jury of raping the woman in November, 2005.

At his trial Mel, who is Sudanese, claimed he had known the victim when they were in Africa and had a sexual relationship for two years.

The woman denied they ever had a sexual relationship and that while she had met him on a prior occasion, essentially he was a stranger ...

Mel had been abducted by rebels when he was 12 and did not escape until he was 20.

The court heard Mel came to Australia as a refugee ...