‘Predator’ caught ‘red-handed’ trying to rape woman near Buckingham Palace let go by police

A “predator” who tried to rape a woman near Buckingham Palace was let go by police for a year despite being caught “red-handed”, a judge said.

Ramzi Barkat, 54, tailed the woman, who was alone, out of St James’s Park in the early hours of September 7 2024.

After his attempts to flirt with her were rejected, he tackled her to ground, grabbed her wrists and “straddled” her, His Honour Judge Justin Cole said.

The judge said that Barkat, who was born in Algeria, “sought to take advantage of a lone vulnerable woman” and “acted like a predator”.

Three “brave” young soldiers who were passing by stopped the attempted attack when they heard the woman’s screams, Southwark Crown Court heard.

But sentencing Barkat to seven years and three months’ imprisonment on Friday, the judge said that the police investigating the matter had shown a “catalogue of incompetencies”.

He told the court that after the complainant was interviewed, Barkat was released either on bail or under investigation.

‘A continuing danger to the public’

The judge said: “He was simply let go in a situation in which frankly he had been caught red-handed and presented a continuing danger to the public.”

He added: “The bottom line is this man was set free for period of a year, a year to do what he likes, in a situation where he had attacked a lone female in a park.

“The public would be appalled to hear of such laxity.”

Barkat had been found guilty of attempted rape and of assaulting one of the soldiers who intervened.

He denied both counts, saying that he only tried to rob the woman of her phone, the court heard.

The defendant, who lived in Mildmay Road, north London, was issued a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and a 10-year restraining order.

The judge said he would be nominating the young soldiers for High Sheriff Bravery Awards.