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a grooming gang who raped and exploited 10 women In stick Many brothels that forced people into prostitution have been jailed.
gangWhich the court heard was led by a “smiling, winking pimp”, consisting of four men and one woman, who took advantage of vulnerable women aged between 16 and 30. crack cocaine And Liquor And told them that they could become rich through prostitution.
Mircea Marianne Campanasoiu, Cristian Urlateanu, Remus Steyn, Caitlin Dobre and Alexandra Bugonia were found guilty on 9 January 2025 following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow.
At his sentencing hearing on Monday in the same court, Kampanasoiu was given an extended sentence of 24 years with 20 years of custody.
Urlateanu was sentenced to 18 years’ custody with an extension period of two years. Stan was jailed for 12 years, Dobre for 10 years and Bugonia for eight years.
All five men, all from Romania, have been added to the sex offenders register.
Campanasoiu, also known as “Mario” – the leader of the group – was found guilty of 15 charges, including running a brothel.
The 38-year-old man supplied drugs and raped several women, as well as engaging in sexual assault.
The court heard how Campanasoiu lured a vulnerable woman into prostitution by convincing her she was in for a huge sum of money. He then advertised her services online and sent her to meet clients before taking a share of her earnings.
She was described in court as a “smiling, winking pimp” who financed her lifestyle and drug habit through prostitution.
Three men from the group fled the country, but were captured by police in Belgium and the Czech Republic and brought back to Scotland for trial in December last year.
Cristian Urlateanu, 41, was found guilty of nine charges including rape, assault, profiteering from prostitution and supplying cocaine. During the period of the offences, he lived with his partner and co-accused, Alexandra Bugonia, who was employed as a sex worker.
The court was told that Urlateanu used the money provided by Bugonia to fund his crack cocaine addiction and household expenses. One victim testified that she was lured to a flat on Bright Street in Dundee, where she was presented with crack cocaine and an “unlimited supply” of whisky.
The court heard that games such as Spin the Bottle and Truth or Dare were played, during which participants were pressured to undress while Urlateanu asked sexually explicit questions. Later he forcibly raped a woman in the bedroom.
Urlateanu and Bugonia were both found guilty of raping the same woman on multiple occasions in a Bright Street flat.
Steyn, 35, was found guilty of eight charges, including trafficking a woman for prostitution, along with co-accused Kampanasoiu.
The court heard he regularly provided drugs to the victim and decided what prices he should charge customers – all while convincing her he was her lover.
He was also convicted of raping the woman on several occasions, including an incident when he attacked her with a kampanasoiu. Steyn was also found guilty of raping two other women.
Dobre, 45, also known as “Luigi”, was convicted of five charges, including the gang rape of a woman, along with co-defendants Urlateanu and Stan. He was also found guilty of attempted rape, sexual assault and sexual battery, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service said.
Bugonia, 34, was convicted of five charges, including supplying drugs to multiple women, sexual assault, rape and sexual assault by penetration.
Police Scotland Detective Chief Inspector Scott Carswell said: “I would like to thank my many colleagues for their assistance and invaluable support to all the victims identified during this difficult investigation.
“Police Scotland will continue to target criminals who abuse, control and exploit people, work with partners nationally and internationally to bring criminals to justice, and raise public awareness to help identify victims and ensure they get the support they need.
“Victims are often vulnerable, they may be trapped with limited freedom or options, and sometimes they do not realize they are actually victims. They rarely contact the police directly and often come to our attention through a support agency or when someone from the local community calls and expresses concern.”
He said: “That call can be the first step in freeing someone from slavery and exploitation. If you are concerned there is a potential victim, or have any information, please report to police on 101 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, so we can investigate and take action.”
Rape Crisis provides support to people affected by rape and sexual abuse. You can call them on 0808 802 9999 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland and 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland, or visit their website. www.rapcrisis.org.ukIf you’re in the US, you can call Ren at 800-656-HOPE (4673).