Sunday, November 15, 2015

Man, 24, charged with series of sexual assaults on young women across south London

  • Mehdi Midani is to appear from custody at Camberwell Green Magistrates
  • The 24-year-old has been charged with six counts of sexual assault
  • Also faces another two counts of exposure, Scotland Yard have confirmed
  • The offences are said to have occurred between October 22 and October 31
A 24-year-old man has today been charged with a string of sexual assaults on young women after nine attacks in 22 days in south London.

Mehdi Midani, of no fixed abode, will appear at Camberwell Green Magistrates' Court this morning.

Midani was arrested on Monday night by detectives investigating nine 'linked' sex attacks within a 1.5mile radius in the Clapham and Brixton Hill areas of London in the past month.

Scotland Yard said today they have now charged him with six counts of sexual assault and two counts of exposure.

Charged: Mehdi Midani, of no fixed abode, will appear at Camberwell Green Magistrates' Court this morning charged with a string of sex attacks in south London. CCTV released by the Met showed how a man attacked one woman as she tried to get into her London home last month
Charged: Mehdi Midani, of no fixed abode, will appear at Camberwell Green Magistrates' Court this morning charged with a string of sex attacks in south London. CCTV released by the Met showed how a man attacked one woman as she tried to get into her London home last month
Shocking moment woman is sexually assaulted on her doorstep
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The alleged sex attacks are said to have occurred between October 22 and October 31.

There were two earlier sex attacks reported in the area on October 9 and October 10, which Midani has not been charged with.

A Met spokesman said the investigation was still ongoing and confirmed that concerns another offender could be responsible was an active line of inquiry.

Midani was arrested on Monday, November 2, in the Brixton Hill area.

Three men, aged 34, 32 and 30, have also been arrested in connection with the attacks and bailed pending further inquiries.

Map of the assaults: Nine attacks on lone women have been carried out in South London over a 22 day period - Midani has been charged with some but not all of the attacks - he could still be charged with more but police are also investigating whether there is another offender in the area
Map of the assaults: Nine attacks on lone women have been carried out in South London over a 22 day period - Midani has been charged with some but not all of the attacks - he could still be charged with more but police are also investigating whether there is another offender in the area

Met commander Simon Letchford said yesterday that it is possible other sex attackers have been inspired to strike because of the flurry of crimes in a 1,5mile radius.

Officers are warning women to be 'vigilant', asking them to report anything that makes them feel unsafe. 

Commander Letchford yesterday said: 'We have linked, we believe, nine cases, we are going to keep an open mind on that.

'It may well be that we have one attacker, it may well be that we have copycat individuals, but we certainly will keep an open mind.'


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