A teenager raped a woman and targeted eight others in a string of sexual attacks carried out around the Hackney Marshes area.
Zyroam Allen, from Hackney, was just 16 when he carried out the spate of nine attacks within less than a fortnight last June.
He was on Thursday jailed for four years for raping one woman, assaulting seven others, and exposing himself to another.
The victims were either walking or jogging in broad daylight at the east London beauty spot when they were approached by Allen.
The teenager, who was often on a bicycle, grabbed their buttocks from behind or touched their genitals or breasts, often making inappropriate comments before riding off.
His attacks escalated when, after assaulting five victims, he raped a woman in Hackney Marshes on June 11, leaving her scared for her life.
He also exposed himself to a woman at her workplace in Elderfield Road, and carried out two more sexual assaults.
“I no longer run along the canal as I do not feel safe,” said one of his victims. “I won’t even go for a walk if I am by myself as I find it too stressful.
“It makes me really angry that I can’t enjoy the area I live in now. This person has taken that away from me and I do not think I will ever get this back.”
The Met increased police patrols in Hackney Marshes when they realise a predator was operating in the area. Officers released an e-fit to the media, and a number of women came forward to report similar events happening to them.
The attacks took place in the 13 days between June 8 and June 21 last year, in Hackney Marshes, and nearby Homerton Road, Daubeney Road, Chatsworth Road, Elderfield Road, and Clifden Road.
Allen was arrested on June 22 following a breach of bail for an unrelated offence.
Six of the victims then positively identified him in an identity parade. He was then positively linked to another offence using forensics.
Allen was charged on June 24 for two offences, before being charged for a further seven in October.
He pleaded guilty to one count of rape, one count of indecent exposure and seven counts of sexual assault at Wood Green Crown Court in December.
At Wood Green Crown Court on Thursday, he was sentenced to four years in prison.
He was previously granted anonymity due to his age, but the judge lifted his anonymity order on Thursday as he was due to turn 18 the following day.
Detective Constable Kate Robins of CID Central East said: “I’d like to praise the strength and bravery of all the women who reported these crimes to the police.
“We took every single report extremely seriously which led to the offences being linked.
“The dedication of the many officers who worked on the case is a credit to the Met. Without this collective effort we would not have achieved justice for the victims.
“I understand the perpetrator has expressed remorse for his actions and I hope he will get the rehabilitation he clearly needs.
“Every woman has the right to go about her life without the fear of being sexually assaulted. The Met is more focused than ever in targeting those who harm women and girls and other vulnerable members of society"
One of Allen’s victims said she felt the Met’s investigation, which saw them analyse more than 400 hours of CCTV and carry out detailed forensic testing, gave “people in the community a more positive feeling about the police”.
A Met Police spokesperson added: “As part of A New Met for London plan, we're doing more to build trust with and support our communities with issues that impact them the most.
“We are putting more people and focus into the teams protecting women and children from violence and we’re going after predatory men who commit those crimes. To read more about our plans to tackle violence against women and girls read A New Met for London.”
