A serial rapist faces a lengthy jail sentence and possible deportation over a string of ‘horrifying’ attacks on revellers who were ‘vulnerable through intoxication and easy prey’.
Sid Ali Djelid was today convicted of five rapes against one woman and two men around Manchester’s gay village last year after prosecutors said his behaviour targeting lone people was ‘calculating and insidious’.
The 48-year-old Algerian migrant homed in on those who were drunk and disorientated, or who had been denied entry to venues.
The woman he attacked was bundled into a car, then driven to a quiet backstreet and raped twice.
Meanwhile, two men were led on foot to quiet back alleys where the takeaway worker forced himself on them.
Djelid stole victims’ mobile phones and bank cards – and even ripped a chain from around the neck of one of the men.
He was convicted of the attacks following a four-week trial at Manchester Court, where jurors returned their verdicts after almost 30 hours’ deliberations.
Emma Kehoe, prosecuting, said of Djelid’s crimes: ‘This is a series of attacks by one man who lies in wait for individuals vulnerable through intoxication and easy prey for a man intent on targeting and attacking individuals to gain both possessions and sexual gratification from the attacks.’
Ms Kehoe said that as police received reports of the attacks, ‘it soon became apparent a pattern was emerging’.
None of the victims knew each other but it became clear to police from similarities in the alleged attacks that ‘one man was responsible’, jurors in his trial heard.
Djelid was arrested when back in the popular party district – centred around Canal Street – only days after his last attack, when bouncers recognised him from a police appeal, Manchester Crown Court was told.
The sex beast, who is understood to have been in the UK legitimately, living an itinerant life travelling back and forth between Britain and Europe, lived in a rented terraced house in Cheetham Hill, around two miles from the Village.
Officials are now understood to be investigating his migration status and whether he can be deported at the end of his sentence.
Greater Manchester Police are also set to mount an appeal to encourage other potential victims to come forward.
The city’s Gay Village adjoins an area of student bars and nightclubs where Britain’s most prolific rapist, Reynhard Sinaga, now 42, preyed on drunk young men a decade ago.
In 2020, he was jailed for 40 years for 159 sexual offences, including 136 rapes, on 48 men but he is believed to have attacked over 200 victims in total.
Djelid’s first victim, a female, reported rape and theft on February 18 last year. The defendant was convicted of two counts of raping her having earlier admitted stealing from the victim.
Ms Kehoe said the woman had gone out in The Village alone and ended up making friends with groups of other female partygoers.
When she left the New Union bar on Princes Street in the early hours of the morning, the court heard her memory was ‘hazy’.
But jurors were told she believes she was approached by a male, walked to a car and driven to a nearby street. CCTV footage showed Djelid with his arm around her, the court heard.
At the rear of an office building, he shoved her up against a wall and raped her twice.
Ms Kehoe described the woman as being ‘in pain’ and shouting loudly, prompting her attacker to yell back.
After he left, the victim shouted for help and attempted to head back towards Canal Street, the barrister said.
The ‘distressed’ woman met two men who helped her and called police – at which point she realised her iPhone was missing, the court was told.
In another attack, a man was allegedly raped twice by Djelid in the early hours of June 12 last year, having travelled to Manchester from Scotland for a work event.
He recalled being stood outside a bar having a cigarette and planned to return to his hotel when ‘someone approached him’.
Ms Kehoe told how CCTV showed the stranger ‘linked arms’ with the man and ‘led him on a lengthy route’ around surrounding streets.
Once in a secluded alleyway, the victim was pushed to the ground and raped twice.
Ms Kehoe played CCTV footage showing the attacker running away along a nearby street.
The complainant found his phone and watch were gone along with a gold necklace given to him by his recently-deceased grandmother.
‘His ears were bleeding. He believes the defendant forcibly removed his necklace,’ she said
And a further complainant, also male, reported a rape and theft on July 18.
The man, visiting Manchester from the East Midlands, was approached by a male offering to walk him to his hotel.
Instead, he led him towards isolated steps leading to the canal towpath.
Ms Kehoe said: ‘The (complainant) began to realise things were not right. As they walked down some steps, he started to panic. He didn’t remember any steps on his walk from the hotel’.
The court heard the victim felt being ‘pushed against a wall, (his) arms grabbed’ and he was raped.
After the attack, the victim found his iPhone and wallet were missing, the court was told. The man walked back out into the street seeking help.
Attempts were later made to use a bank card belonging to the final complainant’s partner, which was in his wallet. One, at apetrol station in Cheetham Hill, was successful, the court heard.
The court heard Djelid was arrested on July 21, when he returned to the Village yet again.
Ms Kehoe said the balding, stocky defendant was ‘recognised by door staff who had been provided with his image by police officers’. He was allegedly wearing the same t-shirt CCTV showed him wearing on July 18.
The prosecutor told how victims described being attacked by a ‘middle eastern’ or ‘Asian’ male.
Searches for their phones’ most recent locations showed they were in the vicinity of Cheetham Hill, some within a few doors of the home where Djelid lived.
Ms Kehoe added that CCTV evidence and DNA also linked the accused to his alleged crimes.
The court heard the defendant admitted theft from all three victims.
But he denied any sexual offences’, saying sex with the woman was consensual and denying any sexual contact with the men.
Djelid, who showed no emotion when the verdicts were read out, was cleared of two more attacks.
He was found not guilty of a double rape and theft against a male complainant on April 14.
The defendant was also cleared of rape against a man on April 21 although admitted stealing from him. That victim found several bank and loyalty cards were missing from his wallet and his Samsung mobile phone had been taken.
Bank checks revealed the man’s Halifax and Monzo cards had ‘suspicious’ transactions declined at a petrol station in Cheetham Hill close to Djelid’s home, jurors heard.
Judge Thomas Gilbart adjourned sentencing until October 6, pending a report on Djelid’s ‘dangerousness’, and remanded him in custody.
Rebekah Tomlinson, District Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West, said: ‘Djelid is a serial sex offender who posed serious danger to both men and women – carrying out his horrifying crimes in one of the most celebrated and historic nightlife hotspots in the country.
‘The way he targeted lone individuals who he believed would be vulnerable was both calculating and insidious. Having raped his victims, he also stole their property before he fled.
‘Canal Street holds a special place in the heritage of Manchester and the LGBT community, and those on a night out have the right to enjoy themselves free from the fear of abuse and attack.’
Det Insp Paul Davies, of Greater Manchester Police’s Major Incident Team, said: ‘Such predatory behaviour has no place in Greater Manchester, and those who feel it is acceptable to commit offences of this sort will be brought to justice.’
Police are appealing for anyone else who may have been a victim of Djelid to come forward.
DI Davies said: ‘All reports made to us will be fully investigated and specialist officers will be on hand to support you through the investigation.’