A PREDATOR who raped a young woman after she helped him get out a taxi has been jailed after she recorded the attack on her phone.
Craig Dorney, 35, attacked the 27-year-old victim in an alleyway after she offered to help him get home.
The woman had enjoyed a night out with friends when she took a taxi to Lewisham, South East London, in the early hours of June 29.
She helped a drunken Dorney out the cab before splashing water on his face and offering him help to get home.
But after the two spoke, Dorney assaulted and raped her before she could get away to call police.
However, the brave victim was able to capture part of the horror assault on her phone.
She recorded part of a conversation the pair had, leading to his arrest the day after the attack.
The police probe included examining CCTV footage and collecting forensic and medical evidence from various sources related to Dorney such as clothing, bedding, phone, and taxi receipts.
Dorney was subsequently charged with rape and two counts of sexual assault.
He was found guilty of all offences last week.
Dorney, of Lewisham, was jailed for seven years at Woolwich Crown Court on Thursday.
Detective Constable James Hart, who headed the investigation for the Met, expressed his thoughts saying, “We anticipate that this verdict will offer a degree of justice for the victim who courageously stepped forward to assist us in apprehending her assailant during what must have been terribly distressing circumstances.
“We are grateful to the victim for presenting crucial evidence early in our inquiry and to the other individuals who provided statements,” he added.
“Dorney is a sexual predator who targeted a vulnerable woman and I hope this case proves the Met is determined to tackle violence against women and girls, which has a significant and lasting impact on victim-survivors.”
If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the Samaritans for free on 116123.
