A 35-year-old man has been jailed after being found guilty of the rape and manslaughter of Natalie Shotter in Southall Park which took place in July 2021.
Mohammed Noor Iidow, 35 of St Paul’s Close, Hounslow appeared at the Old Bailey on 13 December 2024 where he was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of ten years and eight months.
The body of Natalie Shotter, 37, was found by a member of the public on a bench in Southall Park on Friday, 16 July 2021.
Detective Chief Inspector Wayne Jolley, from Specialist Crime South who led the investigation, said: “No sentence can reverse the pain that Natalie’s family have had to endure over the past few years. I commend the determination, strength and dignity they have shown.
“Iidow’s offences are shocking and difficult to comprehend. This man drove to the park that night and took advantage of a women, who then died as a result of his actions.
“Those involved in the investigation were committed throughout to prove that Natalie’s death was caused by being raped. This was a complex and challenging investigation, however Iidow will now be spending a significant amount of time behind bars.”
According to Met Police, an investigation was launched after Natalie’s body was found and officers revealed that Natalie had been socialising with friends in Southall before falling unconscious on a bench.
When officers reviewed CCTV footage from the night of the attack, they discovered Iidow walking past Natalie multiple times before approaching her and raping her repeatedly. He then left her on the bench and drove home.
At around 5:42am, a member of the public found Natalie unresponsive on the park bench and contacted the police. Officers and paramedics attended and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Through CCTV, detectives were able to identify Iidow as a suspect and he was arrested on suspicion of rape at his home in Hounslow on 4 August 2021.
During the police interview, Iidow refused to answer most questions and claimed that the sexual activity was consensual.
Following an investigation, in which detectives used a range of experts to prove that Natalie’s death was linked to the rape, Iidow was charged on 21 December 2021 with manslaughter and rape.
