The burglar who returned to rape his victim... and the awesome courage that saved her

Daniela Vinci was finding it hard to sleep. It had been an exceptionally difficult time for the unmarried 40-year-old, who had suffered a break-in at her three-bedroom maisonette in Slough just two nights before. Though unhurt, she had been deeply unsettled by the burglary, during which her mobile phone, laptop and bank cards had been taken while she slept. The following day Daniela, 40, had replaced her locks, but she still felt unsafe in her own home. Just after 11pm she checked that everything was secure and went to bed and, after tossing and turning, eventually fell into a deep sleep. Three hours later, she was woken by a flashlight shining in her face — and found herself plunged into a nightmare.

(...)

‘As I awoke I became aware of something on my bed. I thought it was my cat, Texas, who loved cuddling up to me,’ says Daniela. ‘Suddenly I sensed a torch shining in my face. I stretched out, still half-dreaming, to switch on my bedroom light. ‘Then I saw him. I immediately realised I was in serious danger and knew instinctively it was the same man who had stolen my belongings two days before. ‘In that awful moment, the training I had done when I began work as an airline stewardess kicked in. ‘Keeping my voice as steady as I could, I said: “What’s your name? What are you doing here?” ‘He replied: “My name is Josh and I am 19.” ’ Police would later discover that he was Joseph Innocent Mwaura — a Kenyan who had committed a violent knife crime within a year of being granted a British passport at the age of 16.

As Daniela would discover, he decided to pay her another visit when he saw her photographs on the laptop he had stolen. Daniela, who is softly spoken and slightly built, found herself in a desperate fight for survival. ‘I asked him: “What do you want?” There was a terrible pause before he replied menacingly: “I want your t**s.” ‘I knew then that this was not a simple robbery. The realisation that he planned to rape me was truly horrific. ‘I tried to stay still, desperately trying to stay calm. But I was alone in my bedroom with no one else in the house and no means of calling for help. The odds were truly against me.

‘Slowly he raised his gaze and looked me square in the eye, before saying: “I’ve been watching you.” My stomach flipped in fear and I started to shake.’ What followed was terrifying. ‘He pulled up his top, rubbed his chest and said: “Do you want some of this?” Then he lunged at me, grabbing my body and saying filthy things to me,’ says Daniela. ‘Somehow, I found the strength to push him away, frighteningly conscious I was naked under the duvet. I felt so vulnerable. ‘I began saying “No” again and again as firmly as I could. I knew that it was imperative I remained calm. ‘I had to get him out of the bedroom to give me a chance to escape or call for help, so I took a gamble and said: “You can do what you want, but let’s go downstairs.” ‘He didn’t object so, as he walked out to go down the stairs, I leapt out of bed, pulled on my pyjamas and followed him.’

Daniela thought the only chance for survival would be if she could keep him distracted, so she tried to strike up a conversation. ‘I felt physically sick. His actions were strange and detached, but I tried to talk to him. ‘I said: “The best thing you can do is to leave my property now. There’s the door.” ‘He replied: “How do I know you won’t call the police?” I said: “Take my phone and hide it.” He walked into the kitchen with my new mobile phone, but suddenly, something seemed to click. ‘His strange, almost robotic compliance ended and he wrenched open a kitchen drawer and pulled out a large, sharp knife.

‘I threw myself down the stairs. I’d managed to half-release the lock on the front door when my attacker grabbed me by the throat and pulled me back. ‘His words came spitting out. “I’m going to rape you,” he snarled. I screamed and screamed. He pushed the knife against my throat and spat: “If you do that again, I’m going to kill you.” ‘I thought I was going to die there, like that.’ Then Daniela did something extraordinarily brave.

‘I smelt the sickening sweet smell of marijuana on his breath and felt anger surge through my body. I thought: “I can fight him — he’s under the influence of drugs.” I rolled on top of him and grabbed the knife. ‘I acted so quickly it took him by surprise. I put it to his throat and screamed “Get out — now,” kicking the door open with my foot. ‘He shouted “Bitch!” and punched me hard in my left eye. But then he grabbed the knife and ran. ‘Though my head was swirling from the force of the blow, I managed to slam the door shut after him. I half-ran, half-crawled upstairs and rang 999.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2529249/The-burglar-returned-rape-victim-awesome-courage-saved-her.html