A man has been jailed for raping a woman in Hillingdon as she walked home.

Abdul Bah, 32, of Hercies Road, Hillingdon, was sentenced to nine years in prison at Isleworth Crown Court on Monday (April 20).

The court heard the victim, who was in her late 30s, was walking home on July 25 last year at around 1am.

As she walked, Bah approached her from behind, pushed the victim to the floor and then raped her.

Bah ran off after the assault, leaving the victim in a highly distressed state, the court heard.

After the attack people in nearby houses could hear the victim crying loudly and police were called.

Hillingdon borough police officers arrived quickly and the victim was taken to a specialist centre for victims of sexual crime.

Despite the trauma, the victim was able to give a description of her attacker to police.

Officers from the Met's Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Command began an investigation into the attack. The next day Bah was arrested.

During his interviews with police, Bah admitted being in the area on the night of the attack but denied the offence.

He was charged with rape on July 27 after DNA evidence linked him to the crime.

On the first day of his trial, Bah made the decision to defend himself in court without legal representation, meaning the victim had to give evidence about her traumatic ordeal.

At the sentencing, the victim provided a victim impact statement where she detailed the effect the ordeal had taken on her and how she "still has flashbacks of that awful night",

Detective Constable Jordan McGowan, of the Met's Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Command, said: "Bah selected a complete stranger to carry out a brutal attack.

"The victim was a lone female who was walking home.

"Thankfully, with the victim's help and some good work by local officers, Bah was quickly arrested.

"Sexual violence is an abhorrent crime and Bah has been rightly imprisoned."