For a series of sexual offenses against a woman outside his south London home, a sexual predator has been sentenced to prison.
After witnessing the attack on camera, Heilab Assefa, 29, of London Road, Croydon, was tackled by police and taken into custody right away.
Tuesday at Croydon Crown Court resulted in his sentence of 14 years and 4 months in prison.
At a June hearing, he entered a guilty plea to one count of sexual assault, two counts of sexual assault by penetration, and grievous bodily harm.
The court had heard that around midnight on 18 November 2023 officers were scrambled to reports that a young woman had been assaulted on London Road in Croydon.
Assefa had met the women for the first time earlier in the evening. However, only a few hours later he began a violent assault which he also filmed. He was arrested at the scene.
The day following the incident, forensic specialists and investigators gathered evidence, and he was charged.
“Assefa is a dangerous sexual predator who targeted the victim-survivor while she was outside his address,” stated Detective Sergeant Tim Walter following the sentencing.
“The police will aggressively pursue and prosecute offenders using the full extent of the law, as this sentence makes clear to would-be offenders.
“The effects of violence against women and girls are severe and persistent for the victims. Local communities are impacted by this kind of violence, which also has an effect on residents’ perceptions of safety and trust in the local police.
It is our responsibility to protect victims and get justice for them. We will not stop in our mission to tackle violence against women and girls.”
