Locations
Slingfield Road, Northfield, Birmingham & No fixed abode
Description
Matthew Bibb, 32, from Northfield, and Jake Johnson, 26, carried out attack in London.
Two Birmingham men have been jailed after launching a vile sex attack on a homeless woman in London. The pair lured the victim back to their hotel room with the promise of a hot drink - but carried out a 'prolonged and violent sexual assault'.
Matthew Bibb, 32, of Slingfield Road, Northfield, and Jake Johnson, 26 of no fixed address, spotted the vulnerable woman in the street as they bought booze near their hotel in Kings Street, Hammersmith, West London. They invited her to join them at the hotel to warm up and have a hot drink.
She gratefully accepted the offer given the weather was cold and wet. But Bibb and Johnson then subjected her to a prolonged and violent sexual assault before throwing her out.
The Met Police said the distressed woman fled and reported the incident to the hotel manager and her friends, who helped in detaining the suspects at the hotel. The pair were arrested and initially denied that the victim had been in the hotel room or that they had assaulted her.
A significant investigation by officers from the Mets Specialist Crime Command to build a case against the suspects followed. It focussed on CCTV and forensic evidence, along with witness testimonies.
The men were charged and later pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault by penetration. They were both jailed for 11 years at Isleworth Crown Court on November 23.
Speaking after the case, Detective Constable Carrina Turner said: Bibb and Johnson subjected the victim a clearly vulnerable woman - to horrific, humiliating and degrading sexual abuse. They are exactly those predatory and violent sexual offenders who we are committed to taking off our streets.
I would like to commend the victim for her bravery and composure throughout this lengthy investigation. I know that she is understandably still suffering from the long term effects of such a terrifying ordeal, but hope she can take some comfort in this result and the knowledge her actions have potentially prevented further offences.
We always treat any allegation of sexual assault seriously and work hard to support and seek justice for the victim. I would urge any victims to speak to us directly or to contact us through a third party support group such as The Havens or London Survivors Gateway. Both offer a 24/7 urgent advice number if you need to speak with someone for the first time. The most important thing is to not suffer in silence.