An Albanian national has been jailed for raping a 17-year-old girl in the toilets of a Leicester pub.
Pendeli Dervishi forced the girl into a toilet cubicle on the evening of Wednesday, October 1, 2025, inside the toilets of The Soar Point pub in the city centre.
The 24-year-old then spent two months on the run from Leicestershire Police before catching the attention of an officer from Surrey Police after he was spotted driving through a red light in Guildford.
Dervishi was sentenced to seven years and six months’ imprisonment yesterday, October 29, after being found guilty following a trial at Leicester Crown Court earlier this month, reports Leicestershire Live.
Prosecutor Stuart Pattinson said: “On October 1, 2025, a 17-year-old went out with her cousin and friends to the Soar Point in Leicester city centre.
“She had been drinking and was described by those around her as being clearly drunk. There was CCTV footage which showed her sat at a table near to where the defendant was sat with his friends.
“There came a point where she left to go to the toilet. The defendant, almost immediately having seen that, followed her to the area just outside the toilet, through some doors.
“He took hold of her wrist and led her into the men’s toilet. She felt compelled to do what she was told to do.
“The defendant was persistent in telling her she should perform oral sex on him. The defendant said in explicit terms she should do this and she said she did not want to.”
Mr Pattinson told the court how Dervishi also groped the “heavily intoxicated” young woman, ripping her tights.
He said: “It was a wholly non-consensual event”.
The court heard how the victim then left the men’s toilets visibly in distress and, within seconds, could be seen going to her cousin and making an immediate report of what had taken place.
Mr Pattinson said there had been no other interaction between the victim and Dervishi that night before he kissed her and grabbed her outside the toilet.
He described how Dervishi had “swaggered” back to his friends with a smile on his face and continued his conversation after the incident.
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Officers were called after the victim was heard in distress by a member of the public and Dervishi was immediately arrested.
After initial enquiries, detectives had to bail Dervishi while they continued to obtain and review key evidence, including CCTV, forensic evidence, and digital material.
Following a thorough investigation completed by the officer in the case, DC Jon Williams, the case was submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service and, in February 2026, Dervishi was charged with one count of rape.
After he failed to answer police bail at a designated police station, officers added him to the Police National Computer as a wanted person while they carried out enquiries to find him.
At the end of March, after reviewing phone data and financial records, DC Williams concluded that Dervishi was likely in the Guildford area.
In the early hours of Thursday, April 16, Surrey Police finally located Dervishi when an officer spotted him driving a white Mazda through a red traffic light on the A320 Woking Road in Guildford.
After initially trying to drive away, police eventually stopped Dervishi.
Subsequent enquiries confirmed he was wanted by Leicestershire Police, and he was arrested before later being charged with the rape offence.
Dervishi denied the charge of oral rape, claiming it was consensual, but earlier this month he was found guilty by a jury at Leicester Crown Court.
In her victim statement, the girl said: “Being raped changed my life. It took away my feeling of safety and made me afraid of things I hadn’t been.
“My mental health became so bad I wanted to die.I needed therapy, and for months
“I had to sleep in my parents’ room because I was so scared. I became afraid to leave the house, and I struggle to trust people, especially men.
“I no longer feel safe.”I’m trying to heal, but I’m not the same person I was before. What happened ended that night but the impact has stayed with me every day since.”
Robert Cowley, representing Dervishi, told the court how the girl had not been targeted because she was drunk or because of her young age but because of “some perception there was some attraction” between them.
Recorder Francesca Levett said that despite the language barrier, Dervishi, who listened to the hearing via an Albanian translator, would have known what the girl was saying when she told him “no stop,” “get off me” and “please don’t”.
She said: “You were determined to get what you wanted whether she wanted it or not. She was quite obviously not a willing participant – but that was immaterial to you. You caused a happy, confident, bubbly 17-year-old girl to want to kill herself.”
DC Williams said: “I am pleased that following the guilty verdict and today’s sentencing, this case has finally reached its conclusion.
“I hope the outcome provides the victim with some measure of comfort and allows her to move forward knowing that Dervishi has been held accountable for his actions.”
Anyone who is in emotional distress, struggling to cope or at risk of suicide can call the Samaritans anonymously for free from a UK phone on 116 123 or go to samaritans.org.
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