Two men have been jailed for a collective of 34 years for the kidnap and rape of a woman in Stoke-on-Trent. 

Iulian Lupu, 57, and Romeo-Kristian Macovei, 32, both of Stoke-on-Trent, were sentenced at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court today after they were previously found guilty following a trial last year. 

Lupu was convicted of two counts of sexual assault, one count of kidnap and one count of committing an offence with the intention of committing a relevant sexual offence. He has now been jailed for 16 years, with an additional two years on license.

Macovei was convicted of the rape of a woman and kidnap. He was sentenced to 18 years.

The incident happened in the early hours of 10 December 2023 when Lupu and Macovei approached a woman in Newcastle-under-Lyme after she had left a nightclub.

She woke up at an unknown address in Stoke-on-Trent with Lupu and Macovei both present, one was naked. 

Following the incident, the woman made her way home and reported the incident to Staffordshire Police.

After trawling through CCTV and speaking to witnesses in the area, the police identified Lupu and Macovei and arrested them both. 

Detective Constable Tiffany Berry dealt with the case. She said: "This incident has been incredibly traumatising for the survivor who has continued to show immense courage throughout the investigation. 

"Despite Lupu and Macovei denying their crimes, our detectives were able to gather all of the evidence needed to put them before the courts. It is because of this evidence and the bravery of the survivor which now means that both of them have been brought to justice. 

"We're committed to supporting survivors of sexual offences as much as possible and taking robust action against offenders in Staffordshire."

If you are a victim of sexual assault, you can call Staffordshire Police on 101 or message using Live Chat on their website when you feel ready to do so.