Ian Foster, 41, has been sentenced to 16 years in prison after raping a woman while she slept at a hotel in north London. Foster, who has no fixed address, was sentenced at Wood Green Crown Court on Tuesday, July 16. Additionally, a restraining order was issued preventing him from contacting the victim.
The Met Police reported that Foster was found guilty of rape on April 26 following a trial that presented extensive and damning evidence. The court heard that the victim, a woman in her 30s known to Foster, had attended a hotel in Edmonton with him on January 17, 2020. A heated argument ensued in the hotel room, during which Foster displayed sexual jealousy.
According to the police, Foster raped the victim in the early hours of January 18, 2020, while she slept. Officers responded to a call from the victim’s concerned mother later that day, but the victim did not disclose the rape at that time out of fear, wanting only to go home as her parents were on their way to collect her.
Once safely home, the victim reported the incident to the police via a friend. Detectives from the North Area's Public Protection team launched an investigation, supporting the victim with specially trained officers from her local force in Devon and Cornwall.
Foster was arrested in Devon on January 19 on suspicion of rape. He was already wanted for breaching his license conditions following a conviction for two rapes in 2012 at Truro Crown Court and had been released on license in 2017. Foster was charged on January 31, 2023, after an extensive investigation that included witness accounts from hotel staff, family, and friends of the victim, and reviewing CCTV footage from the hotel.
The CCTV footage showed Foster following the victim around the hotel and attempting to "reason with her" in the foyer after the rape. Officers also reviewed hundreds of communications on their phones, highlighting Foster's sexual jealousy. In a message on January 18, Foster expressed confusion over why he committed the act when challenged by the victim.
Detective Sergeant Myles Bossman, who led the investigation, described Foster as a highly dangerous individual who showed zero remorse for his actions. Foster, previously convicted of rape, attacked the woman when she was at her most vulnerable. Bossman praised the victim for her immense courage and bravery in supporting the police investigation, as well as the support provided by her family and friends.
“This sentencing shows that such violence against women will not be tolerated and those who commit such offences will be dealt with robustly,” Bossman stated. He encouraged anyone who is a victim or witness to sexual assault to contact the police immediately to access support from specially trained officers.
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