Man sexually assaulted unconscious woman at Peterborough city centre bus stop as bystander filmed attack

A man sexually assaulted a woman at a Peterborough bus stop while she was unconscious.

Ivan Akentjev, 46, was in Broadway, Peterborough, on the evening of 10 May when he approached the woman and sexually assaulted her.

A bystander filmed him doing this and pointed out Akentjev when the woman’s friends arrived.

He was arrested the following day and made no comment when presented with the video evidence.

He pleaded guilty to sexual assault and was found guilty of attempted sexual assault by penetration after a trial.

Akentjev, of Gladstone Street, Peterborough, was sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court yesterday (20 December) to five years in prison.

Now police have welcomed the sentence handed out by the court – and urged people to take action if they see crimes taking place.

DC Oliver Campbell, who investigated for Cambridgeshire Police said: “Akentjev’s actions towards the woman at the bus stop were disgraceful. Nobody should ever be subjected to this type of behaviour.

“In addition, while the video evidence was crucial in securing this conviction, we would have preferred if the bystander had taken more preventative action. This doesn’t necessarily mean physically intervening, it could be calling for help from someone in a position of authority such as security staff in a nearby bar.

“We don’t want anyone to put themselves in a position of danger and you should always call 999 immediately if unsafe.