NHS worker mother-of-three, 37, was raped ‘again and again until she died’ while unconscious on a park bench after night out, court hears

A mother-of-three was ‘raped again and again until she died’ as she lay unconscious on a park bench, a court has heard.

NHS worker Natalie Shotter, 37, was attacked after apparently falling unconscious during a night out in Southall, west London, jurors were told.

Iidow Mohamed, 35, is accused of taking advantage of her in the early hours of July 17, 2021. He denies rape and manslaughter.

Prosecutor Alison Morgan KC said Ms Shotter’s body was discovered on the bench by a passer-by hours after the attack.

“It wasn’t clear what had happened to Natalie,” she said. ‘She wasn’t stabbed or beaten to death. There were no signs of significant injury to her body and no one else was with her.

Ms Shotter was found dead on a bench in Southall Park (pictured), west London, on July 17, 2021.

Mrs Shotter (pictured with her mother) was just over 6ft tall and weighed just over 43kg, jurors were told.

Jurors were told they will see more CCTV footage from the park where Natalie died, showing Mohamed attacking her (Picture: Southall Park gates)

‘It has taken time to understand what must have happened to Natalie to cause her death.

‘Crucially, a CCTV camera some distance from the bank reveals what happened to her that night.’

Ms Morgan described Ms Shotter as ‘vulnerable’ and said she had struggled with mental health problems, alcohol addiction and drug abuse.

“On the night in question, Natalie was enjoying herself and was abused by this defendant,” Ms Morgan said.

“She was raped repeatedly by this defendant and it was the process of rape, over and over again, that caused her death.

“Although grainy and at a distance, the CCTV footage shows the suspect engaging in oral penetration.

“It appears from the footage and the lack of movement from her that Natalie was not conscious at the time she was raped, let alone consented to what the suspect did to her.

‘He could never have believed that she agreed. This defendant’s actions – the process of repeated rape – caused Natalie’s death.”

The court heard Ms Shotter was very vulnerable on the night of the attack. She was just over five feet tall and weighed just over 43kg, jurors were told.

Prosecutor Alison Morgan KC said Ms Shotter’s body was discovered on the bench by a passer-by hours after the attack

The court heard Ms Shotter (pictured) was very vulnerable on the night of the attack

Ms Morgan said Ms Shotter (far right) had been drinking and may have inhaled legal high amyl nitrate – also known as poppers – but insisted these did not cause her death.

Ms Morgan said Ms Shotter had been drinking and may have inhaled legal high amyl nitrate – also known as poppers – but insisted these did not cause her death.

“The plaintiff alleges that consuming substances made Natalie all the more vulnerable,” she said.

‘It didn’t kill her, but it might explain how she ended up on that park bench, alone, in the middle of the night, lying on her side, vulnerable to men in that park. .’

The court was shown CCTV footage earlier in the evening of Ms Shotter walking through the streets and talking on her mobile.

At one point, she stopped outside a store to dance to the sound of a drum, and was accompanied by a man and two other women.

Ms Morgan pointed out that Ms Shotter did not look so drunk that she could not stand or had difficulty walking, adding that she looked ‘happy’.

Jurors were told they will see more CCTV footage from the park where Natalie died, showing Mohamed attacking her.

Yesterday he spoke only to confirm his name and plead not guilty to rape and manslaughter.

The process continues.