Restaurant Manager plied Woman with Alcohol & Raped Her

 peraslingam Nanthvavaraman, aged 40, of Portslade, Brighton and Hove, was jailed for eight years for a “shocking” sex attack on a young woman. The restaurant manager raped the victim inside his workplace.

He had plied the woman with alcohol and throttled her at the Wimpy restaurant in Portslade in early 2020.

Moments after the attack, her partner found her.

Leo Seelig, prosecuting, said Nanthvavaraman had invited the victim for a “little party” but then arranged to be left alone with her.

She had expected one drink before returning home, however, she was begged to stay and have a second drink.

Nanthvavaraman lied about having a wife and child in order to gain her trust.

The court heard he showed a “sense of entitlement” about women and a desire for “thrill-seeking”.

Nanthvavaraman switched off the CCTV, locked a door and turned off the lights.

Her concerned family members rang her, however, Nanthvavaraman answered the phone.

Following the attack, she was left unconscious with bruises around her throat and arms.

Her partner had arrived at the restaurant and saw her through a window lying on the floor in a state of undress. He called an ambulance. Meanwhile, Nanthvavaraman showed no concern.

At the hospital, traces of the restaurant manager’s DNA were found on the victim.

It was previously revealed that there were a catalogue of problems at the restaurant, including allegations that people went there for small parties after hours to drink alcohol.

A council investigation found there were three illegal immigrants working there, while the designated premises supervisor Ketheesan Tharmasseelan was unaware that he was responsible for ensuring the conditions of the alcohol licence were complied with.

Hove Crown Court heard that Nanthvavaraman had his asylum application rejected and that he

was in the country illegally.

He pleaded guilty to rape and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Sarah Thorne, defending, admitted it would have been traumatic for the victim. She said Nanthvavaraman had shown remorse and felt “ashamed” of the sex attack.

She added that her client had “escaped persecution” as a Tamil in Sri Lanka.

Judge Shani Barnes told him: “This was a young woman who was unconscious, frothing at the mouth.

“You throttled her and prevented her family phoning her to get medical attention.”

 “The fact you didn’t seek medical attention for her yourself is shocking.

“The photographs of her injuries were horrible.

“The statement of the victim shows the horror of that night.”

Nanthvavaraman was jailed for eight years and will serve at least two-thirds of his sentence before he can be considered for parole.

He was considered “dangerous”, with a risk of him committing similar offences so he will remain on licence for a further three years after his term finishes and is likely to be deported.