Melbourne Thompson, 41, of Hengist Road, Eltham, was found guilty of rape and robbery at the Old Bailey on October 9. He was remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced at the same court on December 4.
The conviction follows an attack on April 12, when Thompson followed a woman as she walked to work in Catford. He shouted at her to stop, but she told him she did not want to speak to him. He then punched her in the head, threatened that he had a gun, and covered her mouth as she tried to shout for help.
Thompson dragged the woman into a side alleyway off Minard Road, where he orally raped her. After the attack, he stole her mobile phone from her jacket pocket.
Investigation and arrest
The woman later boarded a bus on Brownhill Road and told the driver she had been robbed. The driver called police at around 6.55am on April 12, prompting an investigation into the attack.
Detectives tracked her stolen mobile phone to an area around a 30-minute walk from where the attack took place and just four minutes from Thompson's home. Thompson was a registered sex offender, having been convicted of indecent assault in 2005 for an offence against a woman two years earlier.
A police officer responsible for monitoring registered sex offenders, who had previously monitored Thompson, identified him from CCTV showing him with the victim. Thompson was arrested on April 28, and charged the following day.
Victim support and police response
The victim was taken to a specialist Haven sexual assault referral centre and continues to receive support from specialist officers.
Detective Constable Charlie Lockett, who led the investigation, said: “I want to pay tribute to the victim-survivor for reporting this unimaginably distressing incident.
“My team and I are working tirelessly to tackle violence against women and girls through victim-led approaches that ensure survivors are supported by specialist officers throughout investigations.
“Thompson is a dangerous offender who targeted a lone woman as she walked to work early on a Sunday morning. I am pleased that the jury saw through his claim that he was not responsible for this appalling attack.
“The Met remains committed to investigating all reports of rape and serious sexual offences.
“Any victim-survivors who come forward will be treated with dignity, compassion and sensitivity at every step of the way.”
Thompson remains in custody pending sentencing on December 4.
