16 hours ago
Paedophile, 21, who hounded 13-year-old girl into alleyway before raping her in broad daylight is jailed
A predator who hounded a 13-year-old girl in the street before he attacked her in an alley has been jailed for seven years.
Sorosh Amini, 21, approached the victim in broad daylight on North End Road in Croydon, in August last year, persistently tried to engage her in conversation and would not leave her alone.
He then followed her down North End Road and into an alleyway, before he forcibly kissed her and tried to put a cannabis joint into her mouth, a court heard.
He told her that he was friends with someone who recently stabbed a man and the young girl terrified he was armed with a knife. He then proceeded to rape her.
The victim reported the assault to police and received safeguarding and support from specialist officers.
Amini was convicted of rape and sexual assault on Thursday, 1 January following a two-week trial at Croydon crown court.
And today was sentenced to seven years in prison and issued with a ten year sexual harm prevention order at Croydon Crown Court.
He was arrested and charged following an investigation which utilised CCTV footage and specially trained forensic dogs to place him at the scene.
Amini left his home address in London the day after the offence. Officers then used phone data and CCTV to locate him in Liverpool and arrested him five days later.
Detective Inspector Donnett Oseni, who led the investigation, said: 'Amini's attack on this vulnerable girl was predatory and calculated.
'He has demonstrated himself to be a dangerous sexual offender and this sentence prevents him from harming anyone else.
'I want to commend the victim for her courage in coming forward and reporting this offence to us. I hope today's verdict will bring her and her family some semblance of closure.'
