‘I could hear footsteps, I started to panic’

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One, a lawyer, described being attacked on her doorstep in Battersea.

She had been at a work party in central London and got a late bus home with her ex-boyfriend to Lavender Hill, where they went their separate ways.

As she approached her flat she became aware someone was nearby.

Weeping as she gave evidence, she said: "It felt like someone was behind me, I was fiddling in my bag for my keys. Someone reached from behind and they were strong, and brought me to the floor."

Her attacker covered her mouth with his hand while he assaulted her, before her screams roused nearby residents and he ran off towards Clapham Common.

Another victim, a chartered surveyor, was attacked near Tooting Common on her way to work at 5.30am. She told jurors: "I looked across the common and on the other side, slightly behind me, I noticed someone moving in the same direction as me, about 70 metres away. I tried to monitor their progress, to see if they were getting closer. When I got past the common, by about six or seven car lengths, I looked back and they were behind me.

"I thought I would move to the other side of the road to see if they weren't necessarily following me. Once I crossed the road I took my phone out of my pocket and dialled 999, but didn't ring the number. I slowed down a bit to see if the person would pass me or get parallel with me. The next time I turned round the person was also crossing the road.

"I quickened my pace, but as I looked around the next time he was practically on top of me, and grabbing my waist."

Another victim was attacked in Tooting after getting off the N155 bus.

She told the jury: "I heard footsteps behind me and I turned round. There was a young black man very close, an arm's length away. His expression was blank and serious. He looked right at me and I was thinking he was going to hurt me.

"I started walking faster to get away, but I could hear footsteps getting nearer. I started to panic and my heart was racing. He put his hand on my mouth very tight and pulled me back up the road."