A MAN has been found guilty of raping a woman after a night out at a popular town centre club.

Fareed Issa Tariq, 32, of Hawfinch Close, was found guilty of one count of rape by a unanimous jury verdict at Swindon Crown Court yesterday.

They returned not guilty verdicts to one count of rape and one of attempted rape. A second charge of attempted rape was dropped.

There was no reaction from Tariq in the dock, who had denied all the charges, when the verdict was read out.

The father-of-three, who is from Somalia but authorities are investigating if he is in this country legally, handed himself in to police on August 4 after the Adver carried a front page police appeal, which featured a photograph of him coming out of the Casbah night club.

Tariq raped a 32-year-old woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, in a car park off Penzance Drive last July.

The victim was walking home from the night club, in John Street, with her friend in the early hours of July 17, when they were offered a lift by Tariq.

After dropping the friend off, Tariq drove past the victim’s house and went to the car park next to the Weighbridge Brewhouse restaurant.

It is said that Tariq proceeded to lock the doors of his car and climb on top of the victim, pinning her down against her will.

Tariq raped the victim before she managed to leave the car and ran home where her boyfriend called the police.

During her evidence, the woman broke down in tears on a number of occasions and said she feared for her life.

She told the court: “We drove past the street where I should have got off but he didn’t stop and he continued driving.

“I wanted to get out but he didn’t let me, he locked the doors. Then he started grabbing me, he went to kiss me.

“He wanted to have sex with me, I was crying and wanting him to stop. I was scared that I would not be able to get out and he would kill me.”

DCI Owen Gillard, of Wiltshire Police, said: “We are very pleased for the victim, it has been a long ordeal for her, not only that terrible night last July but having to go through the whole legal process.”

Simon Brenchley, Head of CPS Wessex Rasso Unit said: “We would like to thank the victim for the courage she has shown in court when giving evidence behind a screen and would like to thank all her friends who gave evidence.”

Tariq is due to be sentenced at Winchester Crown Court on April 30.