Telheiras rapist
Encyclopedia
The Telheiras rapist real name Henrique Paulino Sotero (born in 1980), is a Portuguese
engineer
and violent sex offender
who admitted responsibility for around 40 rape
s in the Greater Lisbon area from 2008 to 2009. His victims, almost all under 20 years old, mostly underage girls (13 - 17 years old), were attacked in isolated places and raped at knife-point. A Lisbon
er born in 1980 (30 years old when arrested), Sotero had a degree in chemical engineering
awarded by the Lisbon-based Instituto Superior Técnico
, and worked as a data analyst for ZON Multimédia. At the time of the scandal he was living with his long-time girlfriend in a recently purchased flat and planned to marry with her. Before then he lived with his divorced mother. Henrique became known as the Telheiras rapist after Telheiras neighbourhood and subway station, Lisbon, the area where some of his crimes occurred. The rapist had the habit of attacking on Tuesdays, and when interrogated by the Portuguese Judiciary Police
(PJ) he said that he could not control his sexual impulses. He was arrested on Friday, March 5, 2010 and detained at the PJ prison in Lisbon, where he remained until his case was heard in court. The rapist seek psychiatric help since October 2009. People who knew him said they were in shock after finding out that he was the man who had become known as the Telheiras rapist. The case attracted attention of the Portuguese media even before the arrest, and it was widely covered by major newspapers, radio and television networks both before and after the identification of the criminal. In September 13, 2011, Henrique Sotero, nicknamed the Telheiras rapist, was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
and violent sex offender
Sex offender
A sex offender is a person who has committed a sex crime. What constitutes a sex crime differs by culture and by legal jurisdiction. Most jurisdictions compile their laws into sections such as traffic, assault, sexual, etc. The majority of convicted sex offenders have convictions for crimes of a...
who admitted responsibility for around 40 rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
s in the Greater Lisbon area from 2008 to 2009. His victims, almost all under 20 years old, mostly underage girls (13 - 17 years old), were attacked in isolated places and raped at knife-point. A Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
er born in 1980 (30 years old when arrested), Sotero had a degree in chemical engineering
Chemical engineering
Chemical engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with physical science , and life sciences with mathematics and economics, to the process of converting raw materials or chemicals into more useful or valuable forms...
awarded by the Lisbon-based Instituto Superior Técnico
Instituto Superior Técnico
Instituto Superior Técnico is a reputed school of engineering, part of Universidade Técnica de Lisboa . IST is the largest and the most prestigious school of engineering in Portugal...
, and worked as a data analyst for ZON Multimédia. At the time of the scandal he was living with his long-time girlfriend in a recently purchased flat and planned to marry with her. Before then he lived with his divorced mother. Henrique became known as the Telheiras rapist after Telheiras neighbourhood and subway station, Lisbon, the area where some of his crimes occurred. The rapist had the habit of attacking on Tuesdays, and when interrogated by the Portuguese Judiciary Police
Polícia Judiciária
The Polícia Judiciária is the main police branch of criminal investigation in Portugal, dedicated to fighting criminality, organized crime, terrorism, drugs, corruption and financial crimes...
(PJ) he said that he could not control his sexual impulses. He was arrested on Friday, March 5, 2010 and detained at the PJ prison in Lisbon, where he remained until his case was heard in court. The rapist seek psychiatric help since October 2009. People who knew him said they were in shock after finding out that he was the man who had become known as the Telheiras rapist. The case attracted attention of the Portuguese media even before the arrest, and it was widely covered by major newspapers, radio and television networks both before and after the identification of the criminal. In September 13, 2011, Henrique Sotero, nicknamed the Telheiras rapist, was sentenced to 25 years in prison.