Rapist who posed as policeman to prey on vulnerable women jailed, to be deported

This article contains references to allegations of rape and sexual assault.

A foreign national who stole from two vulnerable women and raped one of them while masquerading as a police officer will be jailed before being deported.

In March 2020, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Shivan Suresh Agravat printed a police ID from the internet, acquired a gel blaster, and bought a gun holster and handcuffs before making his way to a hotel in Adelaide’s CBD.

There he met up with two overseas-born sex workers to whom he gave an ultimatum: pay up $8,000 in cash or go to jail.

Knowing the women were particularly vulnerable because of their immigration status and line of work, the 35-year-old then threatened one of them into having sex with him, Judge Paul Muscat said on Friday.

“This was a rape in every sense of the word,” he said. “There was simply no real consent given by the victim because that was subjugated under the threat of being arrested and imprisoned.

“She was crying throughout the acts of sexual intercourse that you forced her to commit and you knew that.”

Upon returning home, Agravat told his wife that the women held him down and raped him, before smearing his semen over their bodies, the court was told.

His victims told of the psychological trauma they had gone through since, in a statement read by prosecutor Patrick Mulvihill on Thursday.

“Words simply don’t put into context what this monster has done to me,” one of the women said. “I was violated beyond repair.”

Despite what Muscat described as “a mountain of evidence”, Agravat pleaded not guilty until two days into his trial in the South Australian District Court.

“I am satisfied that you only pled guilty when you realised that there was no point in defending the charges,” Muscat said.

He found Agravat was not entitled to any statutory discount for his late guilty plea given the trial had already commenced, although it would be considered for his prospects of rehabilitation.

“The problem, though, is you should have pleaded guilty years ago,” he said.

Agravat, an Indian citizen, had no prior criminal history. He was sentenced to eight years and two months in prison, with four years and six months non-parole.

With time already served, he will be eligible for release in May 2025, at which point he will be deported back to Kenya – the country of his birth.

“You have lost the right to remain in Australia because of the crimes you have committed. That is of your doing,” Muscat said.

“Your wife left you after you were arrested and you will have no physical contact with your two children.”

Agravat has signed a statutory declaration saying he plans to live with his parents in India following his release.

If this story has raised any issues for you, help is available at Lifeline on 13 11 14.

If you or someone you know wants to talk about sexual assault or harassment, family or domestic violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit www.1800RESPECT.org.au

In an emergency, call 000.

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