Rapist found guilty of sex attacks on women trying to get home in the early hours in east London

A “violent and depraved” sex attacker targeted and robbed lone women in east London as they tried to make their way home in the early hours.

Abdallah Baballah, 25, carried out the attacks on five women picked at random over an 11-day spree in east London.

On each attack he attempted to engage with the victim before putting her in fear by implying he had a weapon and robbing her, and in some cases sexually assaulting her.

Baballah was found guilty of nine counts including rape, attempted rape and robbery following a trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Thursday.

Baballah followed his first victim off the N15 night bus in Plaistow at around 2.30am on July 1, 2019.

He said “give me your phone or I will stab you,” before dragging her to a residential street and raping her three times. He stole cash from her wallet but returned her phone and identity cards.

The second victim was targeted after she got off at Leyton underground station just after 3am on Saturday, July 6, 2019.

Baballah forcibly grabbed hold of her, suggesting he had a knife, and took her phone from her. He offered to give her phone back on the condition that she perform oral sex on him. The victim managed to get away by fleeing towards a passing member of the public.

An hour later, just after 4am, Baballah attacked another woman walking along a residential road in Leyton.

He sexually assaulted her, robbed her phone and ring, and then raped her before punching her in the face. The woman managed to run to a nearby house to get help.

Baballah’s fourth victim was attacked at around 3am on July 8 2019 just as she alighted the N15 night bus in Dagenham.

He chased her before demanding her phone. The victim started to shout and scream while Baballah hit her in the face and tried to cover her mouth. He eventually ran off with her bag and phone, with the handset recovered on him upon arrest.

The final victim was attacked after she got off the N15 night bus in East Ham three nights later.

Baballah dragged her into a side road before throwing her to the ground and attempting to pin her down by punching her.

She managed to fight him off, breaking free to run to a member of the public who had come out of his house upon hearing the commotion. Baballah stole her bag and phone during the attack.

Karen Phillips, from the CPS, said: “This violent and depraved man has at every turn tried to divert responsibility away from himself by callously claiming that many of these encounters were consensual. They were not.

“The prosecution case included strong evidence from the victims, CCTV footage and forensic evidence – including Baballah’s own thumbprint on a mobile phone he had returned to a victim after brutally raping her.

“Baballah targeted women on their way home and in most cases threatened them with physical violence unless they carried out sexual acts. Despite suffering such terrifying experiences, I must pay tribute to these five immensely brave women. They fully supported this prosecution and told the court and jury about the violence inflicted upon them.

“As a result of their courage a dangerous man is no longer on the streets. I hope that his conviction provides them with some sense of comfort and allows them to move on with their lives.”

Detective Sergeant Sara Yems, of the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, said:“Baballah is an extremely dangerous offender who targeted these women as they walked home alone in the dark. The streets are a safer place now he is behind bars.”

Baballah was arrested after police officers spotted him around East Ham where he had attacked his last victim two weeks before.

He will be sentenced on July 30 2021.

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