A London man has been found guilty of drugging two men and sexually assaulting them at a house in Oxfordshire. Luiz Inacio Da Silva Neto, 36, had spiked his victims’ drinks with an unknown sensational drug – possibly GHB or GBL – and then sexually assaulted them, knowing they were in no position to consent, Oxford Crown Court heard.
Claire Beards, of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said Da Silva Neto “randomly targeted” his victims in November and December 2021. Her comments came after a jury at Oxford Crown Court found him guilty of rape, two counts of administering a substance with intent and two counts of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent.
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Da Silva Neto attacked his first victim in a house in Middle Barton, Oxfordshire. They had shots of Jagermeister before the man started to feel tired and went to sleep fully clothed before waking up naked. On leaving the property, the victim noticed what he described as a syringe on the side of the kitchen and became convinced he had been drugged, the court heard.
Da Silva Neto had told the trial that “he consented” and was “alert” when the pair had intimate contact. The court heard that a married man who had been on a night out with colleagues in the Raffles area of Central London was Da Silva Neto’s second victim a month later.
He told the jury he had vague memories of the events of that night. They included feeling “strange” when he spoke to the doorman at the club, having a cup with “dark brown liquid” held to his lips at one point and waking up naked in a strange room. Da Silva Neto said he was “high” and looking for drugs that night but claimed the married man did not appear drunk when they met and denied spiking the man’s drink.
After the verdicts, the CPS said that the victims’ testimony in court, together with the drug evidence and expert analysis of the effects they can have, had been key to the case. District Crown Prosecutor Claire Beards said: “Luiz Inacio Da Silva Neto opportunistically targeted his victims, drugging and then sexually assaulting them when they were in no position to consent.
“He denied any wrongdoing and claimed that all his actions were carried out consensually. However, thanks to the incredible courage of the victims in presenting their accounts, and supporting evidence about drugs, we were able to build a strong case against him so that the jury could be sure that he was guilty.
“I hope that today’s verdict will bring a sense of justice to those two men.” Da Silva Neto, of Wandsworth, South London, is due to be sentenced at Oxford Crown Court on July 7. Thames Valley Police (TVP said he had previously pleaded guilty to seven counts of drug possession in earlier hearing about substances including MDMA, methylamphetamine, cocaine, ketamine and cannabis.
After the investigating officer’s verdict, Detective Inspector James Holden-White described Da Silva Neto as “a sexual predator and a very dangerous man”. He deliberately targeted heterosexual men who he believed would be particularly unlikely to report the crimes to the police.
He said: “I would like to commend the victims for their courage throughout the ordeal they have endured and thank them for overcoming the anguish and embarrassment they were caused to take an extremely dangerous man off the streets and protect others from the risk he presents it. .
“Society is certainly a much safer place with Da Silva Neto behind bars. “We are keeping an open mind regarding the possibility that Da Silva Neto has committed other crimes.” He explained that GHB, derivatives and closely related compounds, known as GHBRS, are “extremely dangerous as there are very fine margins between what could be considered a recreational dose, a potentially incapacitating dose and a lethal dose.”
He added that GHBRS can present as a colorless and odorless liquid that is difficult to identify, and even small amounts, which can incapacitate a person, can be easily hidden in a conventional drink.”
The Metropolitan Police said Da Silva Neto lives in Wandsworth, South West London, and its detectives are working closely with TVP “as we understand the impact this will have on communities in London and keep keep an open mind as to whether Da Silva Neto may have committed other crimes”.
Thames Valley Police have urged anyone who thinks they may have been the victim of a sexual assault by Da Silva Neto, or anyone, to come forward.
Senior investigating officer, Inspector James Holden-White, said: “When we look at the mode of offending in this case, the ‘MO’ as we would call it, it seems very brazen, it seems very polished and quite skilled, he knows what he’s talking about. doing.”
He added: “We are continuing to investigate his activities, I can’t go into any of that, but what I will say is if you think you are suffering from Luiz Da Silva Neto, or if you you think you are a similar victim. offended by someone else, come forward, we will listen to you.”
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