HEARING a knock on her front door Daniella Carter-Wells couldn’t wait to tuck into her takeaway curry.
Opening the door Daniella didn’t recognise the man delivering her food, but chillingly he knew exactly who she was.
After enjoying a takeaway from the Bangladeshi restaurant two weeks earlier the 25-year-old had no idea that the co-owner of the Royston Tandoori had been following her movements.
Sick, Mahbubur Rahman, 53, dragged then 22-year-old Daniella into her bedroom and ripped her clothes, before sexually assaulting her.
The 30-minute attack only stopped when Rahman became spooked by noise outside the flat.
It wasn’t until afterwards that Daniella discovered her abuser was actually the then co-owner of the restaurant.
Last month, Rahman was convicted of assault by penetration and two counts of sexual assault.
He was caged for five years and nine months, plus an additional three to be served on licence.
Now, Daniella from Royston, Hertfordshire, is bravely waiving her right to anonymity to name and shame the beast.
She says: “That night changed my life forever.
“I don’t go out anymore and am scared of the smallest of sounds at night.
“I was forced to move homes because of the trauma.
“Now I want to expose him for the monster he is.”
In July 2022, Daniella placed an online order with curry house, Royston Tandoori, then co-owned by Rahman.
Two weeks earlier she’d enjoyed a takeaway from the restaurant.
Half an hour later, at 10:30pm there was a knock on her flat door.
She explains: “Opening it, there was a man in a suit with a bag of food in his hand.
“All of a sudden, he barged past me and pushed me to the floor, before slamming the door.
“I had no idea what was happening.”
Rahman dragged Daniella by her arms to her bedroom, where he pinned her to her bed, before yanking off her clothes.
Ripping her leggings and top in the process. Then, he proceeded to sexually assault Daniella.
She remembers: “I lay, frozen in shock.
“During his attack, he told me my full name and said ‘I’ve seen you walking around a lot. In the park and by the restaurant’.
“I was stunned as I’d never seen him before.”
Then he told her her walking routine she took most days with her headphones in.
She realised he’d been watching her for weeks and began to worry that he would kill her.
Somehow, she managed to press record on her phone, filming evidence of Rahman’s assault.
After half an hour of terror, Rahman was spooked by neighbours talking and footsteps outside in the hallway.
During his attack, he told me my full name
Daniella Carter-Wells
He jumped off and walked out the flat, not before telling Daniella ‘I’ll be back again in two hours’.
Daniella explains: “I was in so much pain and hysterical.
“Hearing voices outside in the communal gardens, I ran downstairs.
“One of the neighbours saw my face and realised something bad had happened.”
The neighbours called Daniella’s mum and the police.
Ten minutes later officers arrived and forensics took her bedding and ripped clothes for evidence. She was then taken to a rape clinic where swabs were taken.
Terrified for her safety, she temporarily moved back in with her parents while the police investigated.
That night, Rahman was arrested after neighbours identified him leaving the block of flats.
How to report a sexual assault
At the time, Daniella discovered he was the co-owner of Royston Tandoori and had even won a chef award two years earlier at the Asian and Oriental Chef Awards.
Rahman denied the charges and was released on bail before appearing in court 18 months later.
But after the hearing, Daniella bumped into him in a supermarket and he smirked at her.
She explains: “Seeing him again I had a panic attack and rushed into the back staff room.
“I couldn’t believe he was there. It was awful that I had to face him.
“I was so scared he’d hurt me again.”
Three years after the attack the trial took place at Peterborough Crown Court.
To make matters worse, he was free to roam around my town
Daniella Carter-Wells
In September this year, Rahman was found guilty of assault by penetration and two counts of sexual assault.
Daniella says: “I’m relieved he’s now off the streets, but that night has haunted me forever.
“I relive the pain and fear every day.
“To make matters worse, he was free to roam around my town while he was on bail.
“Forcing victims like me to live in dread and destroyed my sense of safety.
“I believe those charged with serious sexual crimes should be remanded.
“It’s not fair on victims to have to worry about seeing their attackers again.
“Something has to change.”
