Five-year-old girl raped by man, 41, in terrifying attack in south London

A “despicable” man has been jailed after raping a five-year-old girl and warning her mum would die if she told anyone.

Jerry Ablorh, 41, from Thornton Heath, was sentenced to 13 years at Croydon Crown Court after being found guilty of rape and two counts of sexual assault by penetration.

The predator met the girl, now aged eight, after befriending her mother and working hard to build up their trust.

The court heard how he looked after the victim to help her mother out, taking her to the park and sending photos to her mother to reassure her everything was okay.

He told her mother his name was Eugene, while persuading the victim to refer to him as “Uncle John”.

One day in 2014 Ablorh took the girl to his home, an outhouse he was renting in a garden, where he raped her. He then said her mother would die if she told anyone.

Ablorh drifted out of the family’s life over the next two years before the girl eventually managed to reveal what had happened in the outhouse to her mother.

She was interviewed by police officers in 2016 and sobbed throughout as she relived the harrowing ordeal, as well as other instances of sexual assault.

A manhunt was launched for Ablorh but several raids at addresses were unsuccessful, with officers believing he had gone on the run.

However, he was eventually detained after being spotted outside a church in Croydon on New Year’s Eve.

His victim was forced to relive her ordeal again via video link during the trial at Croydon Crown Court before a jury found Ablorh guilty of three offences and acquitted him of two. He was jailed on Friday.

Investigating officer PC Laura Davis, from the Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Command, said: "Ablorh's crimes were despicable. He singled out the victim before launching his attack. It was clearly the most horrible and terrifying experience for her, a girl of just five years old.

"There is every chance Ablorh has abused more children who have yet to come forward. We would appeal for anyone with information to contact us in confidence."

Officers can be contacted on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.