Eritrean Migrant Who Dragged Pensioner Behind Church, Violently Assaulted Him for 20 Minutes, Now Found Guilty

An Eritrean man has been found guilty of raping a pensioner outside a London church after dragging him behind a fence and assaulting him for around 20 minutes while traffic passed on a nearby road.

Bruke Desalagne, 33, attacked the man, who was in his 60s and heavily intoxicated, outside St John's Church in Harrow, north‑west London, shortly before midnight on July 23, 2025. The case has now concluded with Desalagne's conviction at Harrow Crown Court, with sentencing due in the autumn.

Pensioner Dragged Behind Hoarding at Church

Desalagne approached the pensioner as he sat on a bench behind a hoarding near the church. He dragged the man on to a grass verge before assaulting him for about 20 minutes, according to reports of the case.

Cars and a double‑decker bus passed along the nearby road while the assault was taking place. CCTV captured the incident and showed Desalagne pausing when members of the public came close before continuing, according to the court reporting.

The victim was heavily intoxicated when he was attacked. Reports have described him as being in his 60s, while Desalagne was 33 and had no fixed address at the time.

Witness Called Police Within Minutes

A woman who saw the attack from a nearby window contacted police after spotting what was happening. She also recorded part of the assault on her phone, providing officers with footage in addition to the CCTV captured in the area.

Police arrived within about five minutes and arrested Desalagne at the scene. Officers subsequently investigated the circumstances of the assault and the evidence captured by the witness and nearby cameras.

The speed of the police response meant Desalagne was still at the location when officers arrived. He was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault and rape, according to reports published after the case.

CCTV Footage Central to Investigation

The CCTV footage showed the assault unfolding behind the church as people and vehicles continued to move through the surrounding area.

Desalagne was seen stopping when people approached before continuing the attack, according to evidence reported from the proceedings.

The footage also provided investigators with a record of what happened during the prolonged assault. A separate recording made by the witness captured part of the incident after she alerted police.

Desalagne had initially claimed he was helping the pensioner, according to reports. He later stopped answering questions when confronted with the CCTV footage, the reports said.

Guilty Verdict at Harrow Crown Court

The case was heard at Harrow Crown Court, where Desalagne was found guilty of rape. Reports said the court heard evidence about the CCTV footage, the witness who contacted police and the circumstances in which officers arrested him at the scene.

The conviction follows an offence that took place in July 2025. Desalagne's nationality and lack of a fixed address were also reported in accounts of the case.

The victim's heavy intoxication was among the circumstances reported in connection with the assault. The attack took place outside St John's Church, where the surrounding road remained in use while the incident was under way.

Sentencing Expected in Autumn

Desalagne is due to be sentenced in the autumn following his conviction. The court will determine the punishment at the sentencing hearing.

The case ended with a conviction after evidence from CCTV and a member of the public helped establish what happened outside the Harrow church. The assault had lasted about 20 minutes before police arrived and arrested Desalagne at the scene.