Man appears in court charged with rape and sex offences

A Northampton man has appeared before magistrates charged with rape and other sex offences.

Ben Joseph Refeea, aged 26, was arrested by Northamptonshire Police on August 27 after a report was received alleging that he had been in sexual contact with an underage girl.

He was later charged with one count of rape of a girl aged 15, one count of being an adult meeting a girl under 16 following grooming, one count of engaging in penetrative sexual activity with a girl aged 13-15, and one count of engaging in non-penetrative sexual activity with a girl aged 13-15.

Refeea, of Scarletwell Street, Northampton, appeared before Northampton Magistrates’ Court yesterday, Tuesday, August 29.

He was remanded in custody and will next appear at Northampton Crown Court on October 10, 2023.

Tackling violence against women and girls is a matter of priority for Northamptonshire Police – read more here: Violence against women and girls | Matters of Priority | Northamptonshire Police (northants.police.uk)

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this report, find support and advice here: Rape, sexual assault and other sexual offences | Northamptonshire Police (northants.police.uk)

You can report non-emergency crime by calling 101, or in an emergency, always call 999.

If you’re not ready to speak to the police yet, you can get medical help and support at Serenity: Overview - Serenity - Northamptonshire Sarc - NHS (www.nhs.uk)