Predatory sex fiend jailed for trying to rape two women in 24 hours

Husain Faiz pounced on a woman in Chiswick after following her home on a bus, before attacking his second victim the following day

Bookmark
Share

News

Goolistan Cooper

08:24, 25 NOV 2016
Updated08:44, 25 NOV 2016

Faiz first tried to rape a woman in Chiswick, before striking 24 hours later in Southwark

A man who tried to rape a woman as she walked home in Chiswick after enjoying New Year’s Day night out has been sent to jail.

The 30-year-old victim was the first of two women Husain Faiz tried to rape in the space of 24 hours, a judge was told.

He had already admitted attempting to rape the woman from Chiswick, and after the 20-year-old was found guilty of a similar charge in Borough following a trial in early October, he was sentenced to a total of 15 years’ imprisonment at Woolwich Crown Court on Thursday (November 24).

The brave actions of a passing minicab driver were also praised by Judge Katz, after he helped foil one of the attacks.

Faiz targeted his first victim after following her home on a bus from central London in the early hours of January 2.

They boarded the bus at the same time and he followed her off in Chiswick , walking behind her for a short period before grabbing her around the neck and attempting to rape her.

In an bid to stall the attack, the victim managed to persuade Faiz, from Tugela Street in Catford, to come with her to her flat.

But when they arrived, she shouted and screamed and shut her door on Faiz before was able to enter. He then ran off.

Using a combination of CCTV work and Oyster card analysis, Met detectives identified a pattern of travel for the suspect, and as a result of the enquiries, plain-clothes officers caught Faiz at Honour Oak train station on January 7.

He was arrested on suspicion of attempted rape, and also found to be carrying a knife, and Oyster Card he used prior to the attack.

His DNA was also found on the victim’s clothing.

While interviewing him police then linked him to a second attack, carried out near Borough High Street, in Southwark, at 4am on January 3.

The 29-year-old victim was grabbed by Faiz who dragged her into an alley where he began to sexually assault her. But a passing minicab driver heard her shouts and pulled up by the alley causing the suspect ran off.

Both the descriptions of the suspect and the clothing he was wearing were almost identical to those given in the Chiswick case.

Looking at his Oyster card usage, police find Faiz to be in the same location of the second atack at the same time. The CCTV also showed him following the victim shortly before the attack.

Despite pleading guilty to the Chiswick attack, he denied the attempted rape in Borough but was unanimously found guilty by a jury.

'Violent attempts of rape'

Police say Faiz had previously had a good character, and did not know his victims. The Met also said it would not be issuing an image of the attacker.

Detective Inspector Kate Kieran, from the Met’s SOECA team which investigated the attacks, said: “Faiz made two violent attempts to rape his victims, deliberately targeting them on their way home in the early hours of the morning.

“I would like to praise the courage and strength of the two victims - one of whom had the added ordeal of having to go through a trial.”

The cab driver was awarded £500, and DI Kieran added: “The actions of the minicab driver were also extremely brave and selfless and he prevented Faiz from carrying on with the attack and his evidence at court was key in getting Faiz convicted for the incident in Borough.”