Swiss court increases sentence for Romanian rapist

The Zurich Higher Court has increased the prison sentence for a 30-year-old Romanian man convicted of two rapes in Switzerland. The defendant was sentenced to 14.5 years in prison, up from a previous sentence of 13 years issued by the Hinwil District Court. Following his imprisonment, he faces a 15-year ban from the country.

The man confessed to two separate attacks: one in Wetzikon in August 2022 involving a 23-year-old woman, and another in 2023 in Wädenswil where he threatened a 63-year-old woman with a knife. During the trial, the defendant stated, “I thought if it doesn't last long, it's not that bad.”

The prosecution had sought an 18-year sentence and preventive detention to protect the public, but the court declined to order detention. The defendant has a prior criminal record in the United Kingdom, where he was convicted of killing a bouncer in 2019. The verdict is not yet final and may be appealed to the Federal Supreme Court.