Marcelle DaCosta attacked the woman while she slept

*Convicted rapist Marcelle DaCosta (credit Met Police)*

A man has been found guilty of raping a woman while she slept at a party in Enfield.

Marcelle DaCosta, aged 36 and from Leyton, was unanimously found guilty of rape at Wood Green Crown Court this week, following a trial. He will be sentenced at the same court on 8th February.

The court heard that victim, aged in her 20s, attended a party in Enfield on 6th February 2021. She left the gathering and attended two further addresses with DaCosta and two others.

The woman twice tried to leave the parties. In the early hours of the morning of 7th February 2021, in the second address in Enfield, the woman fell asleep and DaCosta raped her.

She reported the incident to police and Metropolitan Police detectives launched an investigation. The woman was supported by specialist officers. DaCosta was arrested in April 2021 on suspicion of rape. He was subsequently charged in December that year.

Detective Sergeant Myles Bossman, who led the investigation, said: “DaCosta is an extremely dangerous individual. In what can only be described as predatory, he subjected a woman scarcely known to him to serious sexual assault without any remorse for his actions. The victim was at her most vulnerable as she slept.

“With the support of her family and the community, this woman showed immense bravery and courage in supporting a police investigation. I would like to thank her for her strength, and the many witnesses who provided evidence. I hope the conviction goes some way to providing closure after what must have been a shocking experience.”

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