Rapist who posed ‘significant danger’ to women begins 20-year jail term

A man who raped a woman he accosted near St Thomas’ Hospital has been jailed after a later attack on a second woman resulted in a DNA match.

Mohammed Tarik, 21, of St Stephen’s Crescent, Bayswater, was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court on Friday.

He was jailed for 20-and-a-half years and will have to serve at least 16-and-a-half years before being eligible for parole.

Tarik previously pleaded guilty at the same court in February to three counts of rape, two counts of actual bodily harm and one count of robbery.

Detectives began an investigation after a woman reported being raped near to St Thomas’ Hospital in Lambeth on the evening of November 11, 2019.

Tarik spent more than an hour following and trying to engage with his homeless victim, walking through central London, before violently attacking her.

The victim was left with a bloodied and bruised face. Tarik told her no one would believe her or help her as she was homeless.

He left the area after the attack and the woman walked across to the hospital, where she received medical help.

During a thorough police investigation, CCTV footage capturing Tarik featured on Crimewatch, and forensic samples were recovered, but this did not lead to him being identified as the attacker.

However, a second assault on November 30 last year proved his undoing.

Tarik attempted to chat up another woman walking through Bayswater that evening.

When she did not reciprocate his interest, he tried to drag her into an alleyway on the Hallfield Estate near Paddington and attacked her. Tarik tried to restrain her by putting his hands around her neck and applying pressure.

He was disturbed by passers-by and tried to run away, taking the victim’s phone. He was caught by members of the public who called the police. The woman suffered minor injuries.

A DNA sample was taken from him in custody which linked him to the rape in Lambeth two years earlier.

Detective Inspector Ian Kenward, the investigating officer, said: “Tarik is clearly a dangerous offender who posed a significant risk to woman. I am pleased that our investigation means he will now spend a considerable time behind bars.

“I would like to praise the two women involved in these cases who both suffered such terrible and frightening experiences and I hope this outcome brings them a small amount of closure.”

Carly Loftus, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Mohammed Tarik targeted women when they were most vulnerable – while they were alone and in the dark.

“His attacks were vicious and in retaliation to his advances being rejected.

“Tarik raped his first victim for 30 minutes in a prolonged and sustained assault before cruelly telling her that no one would care about her because she was homeless.

“These victims have suffered severe mental trauma as a result of Tarik’s behaviour.

“The first victim felt she could no longer live in this country and moved back to her native country. I hope these convictions give the victims some sense of closure in the knowledge that justice has been served.”

Pictured top: Mohammed Tariq (Picture: Met Police)