Latest Offenders London

Description

Prolific Sex Offender Admits to Drugging and Raping Woman Multiple Times, Plus Offenses Against Others

A man described as "a prolific, calculated sex offender" has confessed to drugging and raping a woman on four occasions, along with committing sexual crimes against five additional women.

Chao Xu, aged 33, faced initial charges for raping a woman following a social event at his residence in Greenwich, south-east London. Subsequent accusations emerged involving further offenses against other victims.

At Woolwich Crown Court, Xu entered guilty pleas to 24 sexual offenses, encompassing sexual assault, voyeurism, and upskirting. He remains in custody pending his sentencing date of November 14.

Investigators suspect the Chinese national's criminal activities extend far beyond the current charges and are encouraging additional victims to report.

Concealed Camera in Air Freshener

In June, during a networking gathering at his home, Xu offered a female attendee the chance to stay and recuperate after she felt ill. He proceeded to drug and rape her repeatedly, according to the Metropolitan Police.

Authorities discovered hidden cameras placed by Xu in various spots, such as within an air freshener and in restrooms.

His mobile device contained hundreds of unauthorized intimate photos and videos of unidentified women.

Police now estimate that Xu's offenses span several years and include many more incidents.

Leading the probe, Detective Chief Inspector Lewis Sanderson stated: "Xu is a calculated prolific sex offender, who has preyed on unsuspecting women using cowardly methods - administering drugs to rape, sexually assault and take intimate images without consent.

"Our investigation is ongoing and we continue to examine a large amount of evidence, which will help identify any further potential victims."

Xu, a UK resident since 2013, admitted guilt to four rape charges, eight counts of assault by penetration, four sexual assaults, four voyeurism offenses, two instances of administering substances with intent, and two upskirting violations—formally known as operating equipment under another's clothing without consent—occurring from February 2022 to June 2025.

The court was informed that the upskirting incidents involved cameras at a workplace and London Bridge Underground Station.

He denied one sexual assault charge and one assault by penetration count, but prosecutors indicated they would not proceed to trial, opting instead to leave them on file.

'Serious Danger to Women'

Recorder Simon Stirling, the presiding judge, addressed Xu: "You have pleaded guilty to a large number of offences for which the inevitable outcome is a lengthy custodial sentence."

Crown Prosecution Service's Suzanne Crane remarked that Xu had "deliberately drugged women to render them unconscious and vulnerable, enabling him to rape and sexually assault them without their knowledge."

She further noted: "Xu is a serious danger to women, and without the bravery of victims who came forward, his offending may well have continued undetected."

Description

A man who raped a 13-year-old girl in Dulwich has been convicted of breaching a court order.

Gholahun Shittu was jailed for eight years in 2015 when aged 24 he befriended a 13-year-old girl using Facebook then raped her.

Shittu, now 34, of Wards Wharf Approach in Silvertown, has now been convicted of further offences.

He was found guilty of three charges of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) by failing to let police inspect three phones in his possession in May last year.

The SHPO was made to protect the public following his 2015 conviction.

Shittu appeared at Croydon Magistrates’ Court on August 13.

He was sentenced to six months in custody suspended for one year.

Description

A predatory sex offender who groomed a child from west Kent and then raped her in his flat has been jailed. 

Ako Hawla fled the country to try and avoid justice but was tracked down in France and returned under a European Arrest Warrant.

Officers were initially alerted to concerns for the victim’s welfare, after she was reported missing on 13 June 2019.

Groomed

Hawla had previously groomed the child through various social media platforms and apps and had persuaded her to meet him.

He was 19 at the time but when the victim told him she was only 13 he claimed he was also a juvenile.

They travelled to his address in Frobisher Road, Erith, where the victim was repeatedly abused.

Patrols searching for the missing child tracked her to the flat and when Hawla realised police were at his home he instructed the victim to pretend she simply sleeping on his couch. He told her to tell officers she was 17.

Hawla was arrested and later bailed, as investigating officers sought to build a successful case.

He then fled the country but in April 2024 was tracked down in France and extradited to the UK.

Extradited and jailed

A trial then took place at Woolwich Crown Court where Hawla, now aged 26, was found guilty of rape, as well as a further five sexual offences. He was also convicted of child abduction.

On 14 August 2025, Hawla was sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment.

He will have to serve at least two thirds of the sentence before he can be considered for parole. He was also made subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order. 

Detective Constable Kim Bashford said:

‘Hawla exploited a child’s trust in the most sinister and deplorable way. He struck up conversations with her through social media apps and after they met for the first time then subjected her to a truly terrifying ordeal.

'Having successfully pursued Hawla into Europe; it is really pleasing that we have now been able to finally ensure he has faced justice. I really do hope that the victim starts to feel safer and can rebuild her life now that he is prison.

Online safety

DC Bashford added:

‘I would also like to encourage parents to remind children of the precautions they should take when using the internet and social media apps.

'Children should only communicate with people that they know personally and report any suspicions or inappropriate advances from strangers to their parents, schools or the police.’

Description

A mental health counsellor from Eltham who had a six-month online relationship with a 14-year-old girl has avoided prison.

Steve Hughes, 55, sent sexualised and grooming messages to the young girl after he sought her out on social media in November 2022.

In May 2023 he was confronted by paedophile hunters as he discovered he had spent the last six months messaging a decoy account.

On inspection of his phone it was then revealed that Hughes had also been messaging three other “girls” - all aged either 13 or 14 – who were also decoy accounts run by other paedophile hunter organisations.

Hughes, of Eltham Hill, claimed at trial that he knew all along that these were “scam” accounts and that he did not genuinely believe he was talking to teenage girls.

But a jury unanimously rejected his defence and convicted him of four charges of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

On Monday, August 18, Hughes was sentenced to 18 months in custody suspended for 18 months.

He will be the subject of a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order which will allow police to monitor his online activity.

Prior to his arrest Hughes was an experienced adult counsellor and psychotherapist working in Welling and later Eltham.

His website stated he successfully worked on issues relating to “sex and shame”.

Judge David Miller said:

“Between October 2022 and May 2023 you sought out teenage girls to form digital relationships with.

“You found four girls, you engaged in chat with them on various social media sites and you soon turned the conversations sexual – there is an element of grooming , particularly regarding on girl who you were in communication with for six months.”

He told Hughes that if these were actual children, rather than decoys, he would have received a considerably higher sentence and one which would not have been suspended.

“Having read the pre-sentence report and the character references, I’m suspending the sentence because I consider there’s a realistic chance of rehabilitation. I think you will comply with the order and won’t reoffend,” Judge Miller said.

Hughes was ordered to pay £4,380 to cover the four-day Woolwich Crown Court trial he elected to have.

Description

A man identified as one of London’s most dangerous offenders has been jailed for rape and sexual assault following an investigation led by Met Police detectives.

The Met’s innovative ‘V100’ programme is transforming the way officers can identify and target the most dangerous perpetrators of violence against women and girls. The V100 programme uses data to identify and target the men who pose the highest risk to women. This allows us to focus the efforts of local and specialist Met officers across London on reducing the threat posed by the most dangerous perpetrators and protecting potential victims from the devastating damage they cause.

Clinton Easy, 32 (10.09.92), of Lutwyche Road, SE6, was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum sentence of 12 years on Thursday, 14 August at Woolwich Crown court.

A restraining order will also be imposed by the judge.

The sentencing followed two trials. During the first trial beginning in July 2024, Easy pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm and two charges of actual bodily harm and was found guilty of controlling and coercive behaviour.

The second trial began in May 2025 where Easy was found guilty of two charges of rape.

Detective Inspector Jemma Gregory said:

“Easy’s offending is shocking and sets him as a dangerous individual who, thanks to the reports from the victim and strong storyboard of evidence collated by the team, is now safely behind bars.

“I would like to commend the victim on her strength throughout the investigation and thank her for her support throughout the court processes. It is clear that her early reporting has strengthened this case to secure a strong sentence.

“The Met is dedicated to tackling violence against women and girls by hunting down predatory men, with innovative methods being used in practice to secure convictions and strong sentences against those who pose the highest risk.”

Officers were alerted to Easy’s offending following a report made by the victim on 11 January 2024.

Earlier in the evening, Easy had subjected the victim to multiple rapes within her own home, after persuading her to allow him to enter her property.

Threatening her with extreme violence, Easy had bound the victim’s hands while he assaulted her.

A report was made by the victim within hours of the offending taking place, and so officers worked resourcefully to obtain photos of injuries and collect evidence from the scene of the offending, including a cup of Easy’s urine which had been thrown.

Through speaking to the victim, detectives uncovered a pattern of offending which had begun with controlling behaviours against the victim, where Easy would take her phone and post on her social media accounts.

It became apparent that Easy’s offending had been ongoing for nearly a year with medical records acquired by detectives showing that his attacks had led to the victim to require hospital treatment on multiple occasions in 2023.

Officers established a timeline with a storyboard of evidence gathered post the events

Easy was arrested following a manhunt on 1 February 2024.

The Met is using a number of tactics including our V100 to improve the response to violence against women and girls (VAWG). We have also rolled out training to 20,000 frontline officers and added 565 specially trained officers and staff into teams tackling VAWG which has doubled charges for rape since 2022 and secured 389 Stalking Protection Orders.

Description

A burglar who raped a woman after entering her home in the night is back behind bars after he was caught breaking into another home following his prison release.

Milton White attacked a 60-year-old woman after he broke into her Haringey home in May 1990. 

White, of Asylum Road in Peckham, was not brought to justice until 22 years later when a DNA break through led to his conviction in 2012. 

He was jailed for 12 years for rape but by this time his victim had been dead for six years. 

White has now been put back behind bars after breaching a sexual offence prevention order. 

According to court documents, on June 12 this year he was caught entering another person’s Southwark home without their consent. 

Milton, now aged 59, appeared at Croydon Crown Court on August 6. 

He was sentenced to eight months in prison for the “deliberate breach” of the order. 

Description

A paedophile who sent sexual messages to someone he believed to be a 12-year-old girl is on the run after his sons helped him escape the country. 

Gualberto Santos, a 58-year-old previously living in Poplar, east London, was on trial for child sex offences in late 2023 after he was caught messaging a decoy account run by paedophile hunters. 

Sensing the trial was not going his way, Santos left the country on a coach to France from Victoria Coach Station – assisted by his sons who bought the ticket and packed his bag for him. 

The sex offender was found guilty in his absence but remains on the run, most likely in Portugal, with a four-year prison sentence hanging over his head if police catch up with him. 

On Friday, August 8, his sons – Anthony Sousa, 32, of Sutton Street, Shadwell, and Jorge Sandoval, 29, of New Cross Road in south east London – walked free with suspended prison sentences for perverting the course of justice. Both had been held in custody between conviction and sentence.

'Out of love for their father'

In November 2022, Santos was arrested after he sent sexual messages to somebody he believed to be a 12-year-old girl and attempted to meet her. 

He denied the offences and went on trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court in October 2023. 

Realising that a guilty verdict was imminent, Santos decided to flee the country on October 31 and enlisted the help of his sons. 

Sousa assisted by buying the ticket to France, then both brothers met their dad at Victoria to see him off – Sandoval bringing a rucksack for him. 

Prosecutor Jonathan Wright said Santos has still not returned to the country to face justice. 

“There has been no return of Santos Snr and I see no evidence of efforts by the family to request and persuade him to come back to the country, on that there is complete silence,” Mr Wright said. 

Abigail Penny, defending Sousa, said the family have tried to convince Santos to return to the UK. 

She said: “I’ve been told that Mr Sousa’s mother has implored her husband to return to the country, and the very fact that he’s chosen not to even though two of his sons are in custody shows the kind of man he is. 

“These offences were clearly committed out of love for their father.” 

Judge Ross Cohen said he accepted that the brothers had acted out of loyalty to their dad. 

“I accept that you are both remorseful and were let down terribly by your father,” he said. 

The pair were each sentenced to 20 months imprisonment, suspended for two years. 

The brothers will each have to complete 80 hours of unpaid work. 

Description

A man caught in the act by Metropolitan Police officers as he attempted to view horrific and indecent footage of children has been jailed for 12 years in prison – with a lifetime sexual harm prevention order.

Lester Sharpe, 46, (25.11.1977), of no fixed address, was handed the sentence at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday, 7 August. He pleaded guilty in June to the charge of arranging the commission of child sex offences and was remanded in custody.

Over April and May 2025, Sharpe believed he was speaking to a person who would facilitate an online live stream of an eight-year-old girl being sexually abused. The dangerous predator was in fact speaking with an officer from the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit.

On the morning of Wednesday, 7 May Sharpe requested that the offence took place at a particular time that evening and made a specific request about what the child should wear during the abuse.

This active step to view the footage enabled officers to progress with an arrest. That same evening, police attended his place of work in Kensington while he was taking his break in the basement. They broke into the room through a locked door and found Sharpe as he prepared to access the live stream through his phone.

He was immediately arrested and subsequently charged.

Description

A famous singer and actress who was sexually assaulted during a Soho massage has spoken out about her “devastation”, as her attacker is jailed for four years.

The star - a famous face to millions - was groped by a masseur when she went to the Rupert Jade Thai massage parlour for a treatment in March 2023.

She was asked to strip down to just her underwear and a towel, before masseur Sundaralingam Koodalingam subjected her to a series of sexual assaults on the treatment table.

At Southwark crown court on Wednesday, Koodalingam, 36, was sentenced to four years in prison after being convicted of two charges of sexual assault.

The woman, whose identity is protected as a sexual offences victim, penned a powerful impact statement which was read to the court, setting out the devastating damage to her personal and professional life.

“The widespread anger this despicable human has caused is vast and so very real”, she said, telling the court she has been “fundamentally changed”.

“My job needs me to be playful, open and light”, she said. “Creativity is stifled by insecurity.

“I don’t know if I will ever get back to who I was before that day. This man has taken away my trust, my innocence, and my ability to give everyone - especially a stranger who happens to be male - the benefit of the doubt.”

She told the court she suffers panic attacks and needed her father to accompany her on walks home from work in the aftermath of the attack.

“I look over my shoulder, expecting to be a victim of further abuse for speaking out against him”, she said.

“A grown-ass woman in her 30s... feeling unsafe to walk home alone from work due to one pathetic man is unbelievable.”

She said she needed therapy for anger issues, and detailed an incident when she “felt rage” at a stranger who winked and smiled at her.

“How dare you assume I wanted this attention”, she said. “No one wants this attention, you have no idea what effect you are having on someone.”

The court heard Koodalingam, who comes from the Maldives, moved to the UK in 2021 with his visa sponsored by a company based in the Cotswolds.

The attack happened on March 29, 2023, when the victim visited the massage parlour where he worked for the first time.

“She was naked but for her underwear and a towel”, said Recorder Jeremy Brier, setting out how Koodalingam touched the woman intimately and groped her breasts and nipples.

“This was a frightening and terrifying ordeal”, he said. “It was a violation.”

At trial, Koodalingam claimed the actress had invented the sexual assaults, and even at sentence he continued to protest his innocence.

The victim said she is “angry this man has taken anything from me at all, triumphant to say it is over, devastated it happen to me”, and expressed satisfaction at “taking one more disgusting predator off the street”.

“Tens if not hundreds of women are now safe”, she said.

The star also detailed her struggles with how she initially responded to the attacks.

“I have struggled with knowing who I was”, she said. “I always saw myself as someone who would stand up to fight.

“I had conversations like that so many times. I was so sure I would stand up, call out bad behaviour, and get the hell out, but I didn’t, and I really struggled with that.”

She said she initially joked with a friend about the incident, and now recognises her response was “human, vulnerable, and honest” and she “did absolutely nothing wrong that day”.

And she added her horror at one person’s reaction to news of the attacks, saying to her: “That’s not too bad, at least he didn’t rape you”.

“Imagine the sentence ‘at least he didn’t rape you’ being a silver lining.”

Koodalingam, of Ruskin Avenue in Manor Park, east London, was convicted by a jury of sexual assault by penetration and sexual assault.

His barrister, Ben Hargreaves, told the judge that Koodalingam faces an “especially hard” time in Britain’s “decrepit” prison system, as English is not his first language and he has never been behind bars before.

He has been on bail during legal proceedings, and was told he must serve two thirds of the four-year jail term.

Description

Hamed Kianipanah, 36, of Brook Road, Brent, London, has today (Monday 28 July 2025) been sent to prison for nine years, plus an additional three years on licence, for raping a woman at an address in Richmondshire in 2022.

Kianipanah was found guilty on 5 June 2025 of having unconsented sex with the victim.

The jury heard evidence that Kianipanah had groomed and controlled the woman around the time of the rape.

However, she found the courage to make a report to North Yorkshire Police in 2023.

This sparked a two-year investigation led by Temporary Detective Sergeant Quita Readman from Hambleton and Richmondshire CID.

T/DS Readman said:

“When she felt ready to do so, she bravely approached the police and disclosed what had happened to her. She also got access to a range of professional support and care that is readily available to all survivors of rape and sexual assaults.

“With her support, we carried out a thorough investigation capturing the whole story of the grooming stages Kianipanah engaged in before and after the rape, maintaining a level of control over the survivor.

“The jury heard the compelling evidence, and they returned a unanimous guilty verdict against the defendant.”

T/DS Readman added:

“I have nothing but praise for the bravery of the survivor in this case. It also shows it is never too late to make a report to the police and seek support from the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) and organisations such as IDAS.

“We are here to help you - please don’t hesitate to get in touch.”

As well as the custodial sentence, Kianipanah has also been placed on the Register of Sex Offenders and been made subject of a restraining order.

Description

Osamah Al-Haddad, a 26-year-old Yemeni migrant, was found with disturbing child abuse material and bestiality videos on his phone after arriving at Heathrow Airport from Cairo in January 2024.

The explicit videos were discovered during a routine search as part of his asylum screening. Among them was a Category A video involving bestiality, which the judge later described as “grotesque” and “depraved.” Al-Haddad had entered the UK on a student visa and later sought asylum, claiming he faced persecution from the Houthis for refusing to join their military efforts.

Despite admitting to three counts of making indecent photos of children and one count of making a pseudo-image, Al-Haddad insisted he had no sexual interest in children and claimed the videos were sent to him via WhatsApp. However, the court questioned his credibility, noting the files had been saved on his device since 2021 and were not deleted. Judge Fiona Barrie emphasized the serious nature of the crimes and the real harm to the children depicted in the videos.

Al-Haddad was handed a 30-week suspended sentence, meaning he will not serve prison time unless he reoffends within a year. He was also placed under a ten-year sexual harm prevention order and must complete 150 hours of unpaid community work. The case has raised questions about the UK’s asylum policies, particularly in light of recent government proposals to bar foreign sex offenders from asylum protections—a policy that only applies to those sentenced to more than a year.

Despite the conviction, Al-Haddad's asylum application remains active. He currently resides in Plymouth, Devon, where he works at a restaurant and earns around £781 per month, most of which he reportedly sends to his wife and child in Yemen. His defense highlighted his desire to reunite with his family in the UK and continue supporting them financially.

After the sentencing, Al-Haddad was seen outside Isleworth Crown Court appearing indifferent, giving a thumbs up to a passerby filming him and denying knowledge of the images' source. The incident has sparked public outrage, as critics argue that individuals convicted of such offences should face harsher penalties, including deportation, especially when they are seeking refuge in the country.

Description

A paedophile who was snared after seven years on the loose by DNA he handed over in a bid to become a Police Community Support Officer has been jailed for nine years.

Reinaldo Goncalo Bertoni Filho, 42, sexually assaulted girls aged 10 and 15 after approaching them in public in Surrey in 2017.

Both girls were able to escape from his grasp, but the identity of their attacker was initially a mystery.

However Filho, of Askew Road in Shepherd’s Bush, west London, essentially handed himself with a bid to join the police.

He was required to give DNA samples as part of the British Transport Police application process in 2024, and his records were then flagged as matching the two sex attacks seven years earlier.

At Guildford Crown Court on Friday, Filho was sentenced to nine years in prison for sexual assault by penetration and sexual assault of a child under 13. He must also serve an extra four years on licence after release.

The first attack was on a 15-year-old girl who was riding her bike in Hogsmill Open Space in Ewell in July 2017. The second incident involved a 10-year-old girl who was walking through Claygate Common in August 2017.

Rebecca Millardship from the Crown Prosecution Service said: “Reinaldo Goncalo Bertoni Filho deliberately targeted children who were both in isolated spaces, where they should have been safe to enjoy themselves.

“What happened on those days has had a huge, long-lasting impact on every aspect of the lives of these two girls. They were left with memory flashbacks, terrified of men and fearful and anxious for years that they might see their attacker again, until Goncalo Bertoni Filho was arrested.

“One of the victims talked about how the attack had stolen her confidence, joy and safety. We hope that, with this sentence, both girls can now start to rebuild their lives, knowing their attacker has been brought to justice.”

The victim of the first attack managed to escape after biting Filho on the elbow and scratching his face, causing him to run off.

The ten-year-old victim said she was grabbed by a passing jogger, who pinned her against a tree.

She escaped by kicking him in the stomach, and ran away to tell a family friend what happened.

“His audacity at applying to join the British Transport Police as a PCSO defies belief, but it was this which ultimately led to being identified”, said Detective Sergeant Adele Robertson from the Surrey and Sussex Police Major Crime Team.

Description

A 'psychopath' rapist has been given a rare life sentence after the judge was nearly moved to tears by a rape-survivor's heart-breaking victim impact statement.

Musaddaq Hoque, 37, will serve a minimum of 14 years and eight months after he was convicted of five counts of rape against two women after a trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court last month.

Judge Ross Cohen looked visibly emotional as one of Hoque's victims bravely stood up in court to face her abuser, who appeared via video link from prison. "I was not just violated. I was broken in a way that can't be undone. The fear, the helplessness, the shame, all still live with me," she said, "I am no longer able to trust people. I am afraid of letting someone in who will destroy me again."

"It took away something from me that can never be returned. I hope the court understands this was not just a moment but a life sentence. You are a psychopath. A Jekyll and Hyde who can change your personality with the flick of a switch. Hopefully you will learn putting your hands on a woman should not cross your mind."

The other victim-survivor described Hoque's 'repeated emotional, physical, sexual, and financial abuse' which left her 'walking on eggshells' and still suffering flashbacks and panic attacks.

Calling out Hoque's targeting of a vulnerable divorced woman and her £30,000 savings, Judge Cohen said: "As a Bengali man you knew the value of her gold she had been given as a dowry."

Hoque, formerly of St Luke's Road in Notting Hill, has been in prison since 2021 when he was remanded ahead of a separate trial at Southwark Crown Court. MyLondon previously reported how the thug was given a 10 year extended sentence for terrorising a victim for 15 years, burning her with a cigarette and threatening her with acid. Two juries failed to reach a verdict on a count of oral rape.

In June this year Hoque returned to court, where two more women gave evidence against him. This time jurors saw through his lies, convicting him on the rape counts, as well as GBH, threats to kill, and controlling and coercive behaviour.

Hoque's previous offences include battering and harassing another female partner, working as a drug dealer in 2011, deliberately running over a cyclist in 2014, assaulting another female partner in 2018, and then the convictions that saw him sentenced in 2023.

This track record left Judge Cohen with little option but to engage a Section 285 life sentence, having considered the seriousness of the crimes, the nature of his previous, the level of danger, and whether there were any alternatives. The judge was particularly concerned that Hoque had raped and abused both women while serving a suspended sentence for attacking a former partner in 2018.

During the trial, jurors heard how Hoque would make threats to: stamp on the pregnant women's stomachs, throw them down the stairs, and perform coat hanger abortions. In one particularly disturbing incident, Hoque poked a kitchen knife into the victim's pregnant stomach and told her he would cut the baby out. Terrified he would do it, she grabbed the knife and sliced her hand open.

On Hoque's previous, the judge said: "Using violence. Threatening violence. Or being abusive or controlling towards women. You seek to demand control and subjugate women with such means. You threaten extreme violence with threats to women with fire, acid, and weapons," adding in relation to one former girlfriend: "You threatened to put a gun down her throat."

Judge Cohen said Hoque had been a danger to women for more than 13 years, and would continue to do so while he maintained his innocence. "All you have demonstrated towards them is callous indifference. You have no insight into your offending and repeatedly lied to the jury," he added. Judge Cohen concluded an extended sentence was not a suitable alternative to a life sentence in this case.

The sentence means Hoque will not go before the parole board until he has complete the minimum sentence. Only then will the board decide if he is ready for release, and any crime committed on license will see him immediately returned to prison for life.

Description

Former Met officer sentenced for rape

A former Met officer has been sentenced to five and a half years in prison for the rape of a woman.

Former PC Tony Watts, attached to the North Area Command Unit, was sentenced at Croydon Crown Court on Tuesday, 12 August. He was previously found guilty and remanded in custody on Tuesday, 8 July following a trial at the same court.

The offence relates to an incident that happened between mid-January and early February in 2020 when Watts was off-duty.

The victim-survivor has been supported throughout the course of the investigation and trial by dedicated specialist officers.

Detective Chief Superintendent Caroline Haines, who leads the North Area policing team, said:

“Tony Watts has shown a complete disregard for this victim-survivor and for his duty to protect women and girls – in the vilest way.

“We are going above and beyond at the Met to rid the force of those who corrupt our integrity, and it is quite right that Watts has been held accountable for his actions.

“It would have taken a huge amount of courage and strength to speak to police, the way this victim-survivor did, and I hope this sentence provides some closure.

“My message to any other victims who may have experienced a sexual encounter they felt wasn’t right is that they can and should come forward, and we will do everything we can to support you.”

Watts was arrested following the incident being reported in May 2022.

He was bailed while further enquiries took place, before being charged with rape on Wednesday, 25 September 2024 and suspended from duty.

A misconduct hearing took place on Friday, 8 August where Watts was dismissed without notice after the Chair found he breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour in respect of Discreditable Conduct at a level of gross misconduct.

He will now be added to the Barred List held by the College of Policing. Those appearing on the list cannot be employed by police, local policing bodies, the Independent Office for Police Conduct or His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services.

Description

A 24-year-old man has been jailed for life following a significant Met Police investigation into an attempted rape and rape of a child.

Navroop Singh, 24, (09/10/00) of Mellow Lane East, UB4 was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 14 years for five charges, including rape, on Friday, 4 July at Isleworth Crown Court.

Singh was convicted of the attempted rape of a woman in Southall Park, Ealing on Sunday, 13 October 2024, and possession of an imitation firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence, on Thursday, 8 May at Isleworth Crown Court following a four-day trial.

Singh had previously pleaded guilty to a further three offences –

• Possession of an imitation firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence
• Rape a girl under 13
• Assault a girl under 13 by penetration

These charges relate to the rape of a child at Hayes End Park, Hillingdon on Wednesday, 23 October 2024.

An investigation was launched by police and detectives who tracked down Singh, using forensics, CCTV and witness accounts to build a file of evidence against him.

Acting Chief Superintendent Sean Lynch, who leads policing in West Area, said:

"I would like to commend the strength of the victim-survivors and their families and thank them for their unwavering bravery in reporting these awful incidents to us.

“Today’s conviction is testament to the officers’ thorough investigation, which has identified a violent sexual offender and undoubtedly prevented further harm.

“We are continuing to prioritise tackling violence against women and girls with our increased specialist teams. I hope that the community will find reassurance in our action to put this predator behind bars.”

Officers launched an investigation following reports of an attempted rape of a woman in her 20s on 13 October 2024.

Police were alerted by the victim, who, by chance, was met with two off duty officers near to the gates of the park who accompanied her to the nearest police station.

Singh had been sitting on a bench in the park during the early hours of 13 October 2024, where he waited for a potential victim to walk past. He was carrying an imitation firearm, which he had ordered and assembled, and used to threaten the victim while he attempted to rape her.

On the days following the report, officers trawled through hours of CCTV footage to try and identify an offender.

With the investigation was ongoing, a child was raped at a different park on 23 October 2024. Officers immediately made a link between the offences.

Using the increased resources which were made available, officers secured additional forensic evidence. Officers were able to trace the offender to within a few doors of his home address where they delivered leaflets to appeal for witnesses and carried out increased patrols of the area.

As a result of the officers efforts, they were able to trace the offender to within a few doors of his home address.

Singh was arrested on Sunday, 27 October.

Each of the victims have been supported by specialist officers throughout the investigation and court process.