Two men have been jailed for raping a teenage tourist in a park.

Mojtaba Changi, 33, of Lea Bridge Road, Walthamstow and Saeed Fatemi, 20, of Blackthorn Court, Hall Road, Stratford, were found guilty late yesterday after a Kingston Crown Court trial lasting two weeks.

They raped the then-18-year-old woman in Canbury Gardens last September, on the same day she had arrived in the country.

Fatemi had claimed she offered him sex in exchange for money, while Changi told the court she had beckoned him over and nodded consent.

But yesterday a jury returned guilty verdicts after just an hour and a half of deliberation.

Sentencing the pair to 14 years each in prison, Recorder Nicholas Rhodes QC said this afternoon: "There are the children of this world who, young and bright, are full of life and optimism.

"They are excited and they look forward to what the future brings them and they are happy.

"And then there are those, such as you, mercifully few, who prey on them."

Changi and Fatemi had deliberately targeted the victim, he said, and had planned in advance to take her to the park to rape her.

He added: "You prowled Kingston for at least half an hour. You operated as a pair."

Of the victim, now 19, he said: "She was clearly unsteady as she walked. She was very drunk indeed.

"She was in no condition to make informed decisions."

"She described herself as so ashamed of what happened that she has been unable to share her burden with anyone, including her family, who she believes would be heartbroken if they found out. What parent wouldn't?

"Her studies have been seriously impacted. She missed exams.

"She really fears that her future has been ruined.

"It is to be hoped that she can put it back on the rails.

"The memory of what you did to her will be with her for all her life."

Recorder Rhodes also commended the police team who brought Changi and Fatemi to justice. 

It is thought the men, both originally from Iran, will be deported after serving seven years in prison.

Fatemi broke into tears part-way through today's hearing, while Changi remained impassive throughout.

Nathan Palmer, for Fatemi, said his client had left school aged 15 and worked in car repair.

Asking for leniency, he added: "He is still a young man."

Paul Dixon, for Changi, told the court the incident was not an abduction, and said that the victim "was free, I would suggest, to seek help from what was a crowded town centre."

Detective Constable Ben Hawkins, of the Metropolitan Police's Sapphire sex crimes unit, said: "There's no doubt this was pre-meditated.

"Fatemi was almost the bait - he's the younger, better-looking, personable person.

"Changi in particular showed no emotion throughout the process. That's from his police interview to the verdict.

"I genuinely believe that he still doesn't think he's done anything wrong.

"I'm pleased with the sentence.

"I don't feel like celebrating because to me it's not the kind of case where I feel I can. I'm satisfied that we've done a good job.

"I'm pleased for the victim. We spoke to her yesterday and she's delighted."