Man found guilty of raping girl, 15, in sea off Bournemouth beach

A 20-year-old man has been found guilty of the “brazen” rape of a 15-year-old girl after he took her out of her depth in the sea off Bournemouth beach.

A jury found Gabriel Marinoaica, of Darlaston, Walsall, guilty of three charges of sexual assault and rape. He was acquitted of a further charge of sexual assault by biting her neck.

Judge Susan Evans KC said it was a “brazen thing to have done in broad daylight” on the beach.

“I am afraid I cannot grant you bail but I order a pre-sentence report, the only outcome is custody in any event.”

Ellie Fargin, prosecuting, told the trial at Bournemouth crown court that the victim, who could not swim, had been in the sea off the Dorset resort on Sunday 18 July 2021 with friends when she started playing a ballgame with another group in the water.

The girl continued playing with the ball after her two friends had returned to the beach. She had gone to get the ball after it had been kicked away and had been picked up by Marinoaica, Fargin said.

Marinoaica asked her name and age before saying his name was Dabby and he was from Birmingham, Fargin continued. He then “pulled at [her] arm and pulled her out to sea”.

“[She] could no longer touch the bottom, she really was in deep water. [She] told the defendant: ‘No, get off me,’ but he ignored her.

“He was touching her everywhere, she was uncomfortable and wanted to get out [of the sea] but the defendant pulled her out further.”

She said the defendant then asked her if she wanted to “smash” – a colloquial term for sex – which the complainant said she did not want to.

Fargin said the defendant then groped the girl and kissed her before he raped her for about a minute until someone approached the pair. She had said she could not scream because Marinoaica had his hand over her mouth.

He claimed she had initiated sexual activity and asked him if he wanted to have sex.

“He took her out of her depth, he made her vulnerable, she couldn’t even swim, he might not have known that but he might have known she could not touch the bottom.

“And why did he do that? So he could do what he wanted to do. She didn’t consent, and we say he knew that – he simply didn’t care,” Fargin said.

Marinoaica was arrested 11 months later after his DNA was found in the complainant’s bikini, jurors were told.

Marinoaica was remanded in custody to be sentenced on 19 April.