Australian victims confront rapist who posed as police officer

Shivan Suresh Agravat posed as a cop to threaten two vulnerable women to have sex with him. Photo / 123rf

WARNING: This story deals with sexual offending and may be distressing.

Shivan Suresh Agravat posed as a cop to threaten two vulnerable women to have sex with him, an action they told a court left them traumatised.

A woman has told the “monster” who raped her while pretending to be a police officer that he stole her ability to live the life she once had.

Agravat printed a police ID from the internet, acquired a gel blaster and bought a gun holster from Spotlight before threatening two women to pay him AU$8000 in cash and have sex with him in an Adelaide hotel room in March 2020.

The 35-year-old surprised the court by pleading guilty to rape and deception two days into his South Australian District Court trial in October.

His victims, foreign sex workers who feared being jailed by the man they assumed to be an AFP officer, told of the psychological trauma they had gone through since, in a statement read by prosecutor Patrick Mulvihill on Thursday.

“Words simply don’t put into context what this monster has done to me,” one of the women said.

“I may not have lost my life that night, but I lost my ability to live how I lived my life prior to that.

“My perspective on life was taken away from me. I was violated beyond repair and I don’t wish this upon anyone.”

She said it was her belief Agravat was incapable of being reformed and feared for other Australian citizens if he was allowed to walk the streets.

“I will continue to live the rest of my life in fear,” she said.

The other woman, who Agravat forced into a bathroom at gunpoint before raping her friend, spoke of the guilt she felt as a result of his actions.

“At the time I felt that what happened to [the other woman] was my fault for bringing him into my room where my friend was and not being able to help,” she said.

Not only had he stolen thousands of dollars from her, but he had cost her countless more in therapy sessions, she said.

Mulvihill said there was no question Agravat was guilty of rape and not the lesser crime of sex by deception, given his use of overt threats.

“There was no consent,” he said.

“It was rape and it was brazen.”

Judge Paul Muscat agreed.

However, there was disagreement about whether it could be established the rape was pre-planned or an opportunistic act after stealing the women’s money.

The judge said if he had to make a finding that he pre-planned the rape on the balance of probabilities then he would, but he could not satisfy himself of that conclusion beyond a reasonable doubt.

Judge Muscat said he would afford Agravat a minor reduction in sentencing because of his guilty plea, which saved the witnesses from further distress in the trial, although he would not be getting the full discount because of its lateness.

The father of two has indicated he will not oppose deportation and will return to India after his likely prison term, where he will live with his parents.

Agravat will be sentenced later today.