Gift Oladele, a 24-year-old Nigerian national living in the UK, is in prison after being convicted of raping a 19-year-old woman in Wrexham, Wales, in September 2025. On 30 April 2026, a judge at Caernarfon Crown Court sentenced Gift Oladele to 17 years in custody plus an eight-year extended licence period — a total sentence of 25 years — describing his behaviour as “truly depraved.”

What Did Gift Oladele Do?

In September 2025, Gift Oladele followed a 19-year-old woman from a takeaway shop on Regent Street in Wrexham town centre. He had engaged her in conversation while she was with a friend outside the takeaway, then walked alongside her as she headed home along Mold Road. Without warning, he dragged her onto an isolated footpath and subjected her to a sustained sexual assault and rape.

Oladele was a stranger to the victim. The attack was entirely unprovoked. After the assault, he fled the scene, leaving the woman alone and severely traumatised. North Wales Police investigated and identified Oladele as the suspect through witness accounts and forensic evidence gathered from the scene.

Who Is Gift Oladele?

Gift Oladele, 24 at the time of sentencing, is a Nigerian national who had been living in the United Kingdom. He had a significant prior criminal history in the UK. In 2022, he was jailed for a sexually motivated attack, making this his second serious sexual offence in the country. Despite that earlier conviction, he remained in the UK.

Crucially, at the time of the Wrexham rape in September 2025, Oladele was already on bail over a separate rape allegation in Manchester, where a woman had reported an attack in November 2024. He had not been tried for that offence when he targeted the victim in Wrexham.

The Home Office had attempted to deport Oladele to Nigeria on two separate occasions. Both attempts were overturned after he successfully appealed on human rights grounds, arguing that deportation would breach his right to a private and family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Trial and Conviction

Oladele denied the allegations, but in March 2026 a jury at Mold Crown Court found him guilty of rape and sexual assault following a trial. The prosecution presented CCTV footage placing him in the area on the night of the attack, along with witness evidence and forensic material. The jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts.

Following the conviction, Oladele was remanded in custody to await sentencing. Victim impact statements were read to the court, describing the profound and lasting effect the attack had on the young woman.

Sentencing Explained

On 30 April 2026 at Caernarfon Crown Court, a judge sentenced Gift Oladele to a total of 25 years, made up of 17 years in prison followed by an eight-year extended licence period. The judge described the offending as “truly depraved” and found that Oladele posed a high and ongoing risk to young women in the community.

In addition to the custodial sentence, the court imposed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a restraining order to protect the victim for life. Under the extended sentence, Oladele must serve a minimum of two-thirds of the 17-year custodial term before he is eligible to be considered for release by the Parole Board, and even then the board must be satisfied he no longer poses an unacceptable risk to the public.

If you have a family member in custody and need guidance on keeping in touch, our guides on booking a prison visit and sending money to a prisoner may be helpful.

Deportation Controversy

Oladele’s case attracted considerable political attention because of his immigration history. The Home Office made two separate attempts to deport him to Nigeria before the Wrexham attack took place. On each occasion, Oladele successfully challenged the deportation decision in the courts, relying on Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which protects the right to a private and family life. Those appeals were upheld, allowing him to remain in the UK.

After the Wrexham conviction, politicians called for a review of how Article 8 challenges are handled in deportation cases involving convicted foreign national offenders. Following sentencing, a government minister stated that the Home Office would seek to deport Oladele at the earliest opportunity upon the conclusion of his sentence, subject to any further legal challenges he might mount at that time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Gift Oladele in prison?

Gift Oladele is in prison because he was convicted of raping and sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman in Wrexham, Wales, in September 2025. A jury at Mold Crown Court found him guilty in March 2026, and he was sentenced to 17 years in custody plus eight years on extended licence at Caernarfon Crown Court on 30 April 2026.

How long is Gift Oladele’s sentence?

Gift Oladele received a total sentence of 25 years, made up of a 17-year custodial period and an 8-year extended licence. He must serve at least two-thirds of the 17-year custodial term before he can be considered for parole, meaning he cannot be released before approximately 2036 at the earliest.

Why was Gift Oladele not deported before the Wrexham attack?

The Home Office attempted to deport Gift Oladele to Nigeria on two occasions prior to the Wrexham rape. On both occasions he successfully appealed against deportation on human rights grounds under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Those appeals were upheld by the courts, allowing him to remain in the UK despite the prior conviction.

Was Gift Oladele on bail when he committed the Wrexham rape?

Yes. At the time of the September 2025 attack in Wrexham, Gift Oladele was already on bail in connection with a separate rape allegation made against him in Manchester in November 2024. He had not been tried for that offence at the time he targeted the victim in Wrexham.

Where is Gift Oladele now?

Gift Oladele is in prison in England or Wales serving his extended sentence. The specific prison to which he has been allocated is not publicly disclosed, but he will serve at least two-thirds of his 17-year custodial term before any parole consideration takes place.