Man jailed for rape and sexual abuse

A man has been jailed for the rape and sexual abuse of a woman and child in Bristol.

Suleman Aqeel, 23, of Elstree Road, Speedwell, Bristol, was convicted and sentenced to 17 years at Bristol Crown Court on Wednesday 30 September. He will serve 12 years in prison and a further five years on licence.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of rape and sexual assault by penetration of a woman aged 16 or over, the rape of a girl under 16, controlling and coercive behaviour with violence, taking indecent images of children, intentional strangulation, meeting a child following sexual grooming, and sexual activity with a child.

Aqeel used social media, including sites such as Snapchat, to arrange to meet young girls. He drove an orange BMW and would give his victims alcohol before sexually abusing them, sometimes when they were asleep.

On one occasion, he drove one of his victims to Baddock’s Wood, in Southmead, and persisted in his sexual advances against her wishes before raping her.

He would also frequently film his offending on a mobile phone and was either violent to his victims or made threats of violence against them, would damage property belonging to them, used a tracking device on one victim’s phone, used degrading and insulting language, and would also make threats to disclose intimate videos and images.

Aqeel was arrested on 4 June 2025 and was charged the following day ahead of his first court appearance on 6 June last year.

We have maintained contact with the victims throughout the investigation and have offered them access to specialist support services they feel they may benefit from.

His victims revealed the impact of Aqeel’s offending in statements which they bravely read in court. The first said: “He disintegrated me as a human and treated me like an animal. He made me feel like I didn’t have a purpose. I feel like no one can ever shock me in the way they treat me now.

“He’s made me so scared of doing things wrong and I overthink everything I do. When I found out he pleaded guilty to some of the things he had done, some weight came off my shoulders. I couldn’t have lived with myself knowing he was out there and doing it to someone else. I wouldn’t wish that kind of relationship on my worst enemy.”

The second victim added: “He made me do things a child should never be involved in. He took away my innocence which is something I can never take back. He got me at my most vulnerable position, so he had full control and was in a place of power to take advantage of me. Even though he changed my life in ways, I’ll never forget what he did to me. I work towards my goals and aspirations way harder now than I ever have. I’m motivated to do better every day.”

DC Sacha Hooper and DC Florence Dickinson, the officers in the case from Operation Bluestone, said: “We would like to commend the bravery of the victims in reporting their ordeal to us, and for supporting an investigation into the abuse by Aqeel which has understandably caused them significant distress.

“We recognise the incredible strength they have shown in engaging with us and the criminal justice system. In doing so, these young women have helped us put a dangerous offender in prison for a significant period of time, therefore preventing him from causing further violence against woman and girls, and we hope it gives them the closure and justice they deserve.”