A 35-year-old man has been found guilty of the manslaughter and rape of a woman in Southall Park which took place in July 2021.
Mohamed Noor Iidow, of St Paul’s Close, Hounslow received the verdict on Friday (18 October 2024) following a three-week trial at the Old Bailey and will be sentenced on 13 December 2024.
The body of Natalie Shotter, 37, was found by a member of the public on a bench in Southall Park on Friday, 16 July 2021.
Detective Chief Inspector Wayne Jolley, from Specialist Crime South who led the investigation, said: “Iidow’s predatory attack on Natalie was disturbing and shocking. This man drove to the park that night and took advantage of a vulnerable woman who should have been safe.”
DCI Jolley added: “Even after his arrest, Iidow attempted to claim that his actions were consensual. This case has deeply affected those involved, due to its rarity and tragic details. We needed to prove Natalie’s death was caused by being raped and that involved diligent work using experts in this field to charge and now convict Iidow.
“I commend the strength of Natalie’s friends and family who have had to listen to these details throughout the trial. Iidow is now facing a long term of imprisonment.”
According to Met Police, an investigation was launched after Natalie’s body was found and officers revealed that Natalie had been socialising with friends in Southall before falling unconscious on a bench.
When officers reviewed CCTV footage from the night of the attack, they discovered Iidow walking past Natalie multiple times before approaching her and raping her repeatedly. He then left her on the bench and drove home.
At around 5:42am, a member of the public found Natalie unresponsive on the park bench and contacted the police. Officers and paramedics attended and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Through CCTV, detectives were able to identify Iidow as a suspect and he was arrested on suspicion of rape at his home in Hounslow on 4 August 2021.
During the police interview, Iidow refused to answer most questions and claimed that the sexual activity was consensual.
Following an investigation, in which detectives used a range of experts to prove that Natalie’s death was linked to the rape, Iidow was charged on 21 December 2021 with manslaughter and rape.
