- Sunny Islam, 23, kidnapped and raped girl, 15
- Subjected victims to his ‘trademark double rape’
- Attacks took place over 2 months in east London
- Jailed indefinitely due to danger he poses to women
By Nick Enoch
Last updated at 4:53 PM on 25th January 2012
Sunny Islam, 23, has been jailed indefinitely because of the dangers he poses to women
A Muslim man who raped women to ‘teachthem a lesson’ for being on the streets at night was jailed indefinitely todaybecause of the danger he poses to women.
Sunny Islam, 23, who comes from a strictMuslim family, dragged his terrified victims – including a 15-year-old – fromthe street at knifepoint, bound and assaulted them during a two-month reign ofterror.
Police fear that Islam may have attacked many more.
Three of the assaults took place close to his home in Barking, east London, while a fourth occurred in nearby Forest Gate.
Judge Patricia Lees, sentencing him to aminimum of 11 years, said: ‘Theharm you have done to your victims is incalculable.
‘The nature and extent of these offencesdrives me to the conclusion that you represent an extreme and continuing dangerto women, particularly those out at night.’
He was traced through the number plate ofhis girlfriend’s car after he kidnapped and raped the 15-year-old in September2010.
He grabbed her from behind as she walkedhome with a friend and bundled her into the car at knifepoint before driving to asecluded spot where he raped her twice despite her claiming she was only 11years old.
Judge Lees said: ‘You told her you weregoing to “teach her a lesson”, and similar things were said to the other women.
‘Those words are a chilling indictment of your very troubling attitude towardsall of these victims.
‘You seem to observe women out at night asnot deserving respect or protection.
After his arrest, Islam’s DNA was linked with three other attacks near his home in Barking, east London
‘I have no doubt that you were out thatnight looking for a victim, as you were on each of these occasions.’
The teen, who feared she would bemurdered, was in court and smiled as her attacker was jailed.
In a victimimpact statement read to the court, she said: ‘No one will ever understand theflashbacks – they are so real. at night, I lay in my bed and it is like I amthere.
‘It is like a screen in my mind forcing meto relive that night again and again.
‘People will say time will heal, but Ithink time has helped me accept the truth – that I will never escape what hashappened to me.’
After his arrest, Islam’s DNA was linkedwith three other attacks near his home in Barking, prosecutor Sara Lawson toldWoolwich Crown Court.
‘Hetreated me like an animal and made me feel worthless. I thought I was going todie’
The judge said on July 8, 2010 he subjecteda 20-year-old prostitute to ‘his trademark double rape’ and then tied her up,repeatedly punched her in the face and stole her wallet.
She said: ‘Hetreated me like an animal and made me feel worthless – I thought I was going todie.’
Six days later, in Forest Gate, he struck again on a28-year-old when he dragged her into his car and forced her to commit a sexact.
She managed to kick out the back window of his car and escape despitebeing throttled.
His fourth victim, also attacked inSeptember, did not come forward until police found the 31-year-old’s blood inthe back of the car along with a knife he used to threaten his victims andplastic ties he bound them with.
She was repeatedly repeatedly punched inthe face until she was bleeding and then tied up and raped twice.
Islam, who told the jury he was a practising Muslim, was convicted of seven charges of rape, one of sexual assault and one of kidnap at Woolwich Crown Court
Islam, who told the jury he was apractising Muslim, was convicted of seven charges of rape, one of sexual assaultand one of kidnap.
Tana Adkin, defending, said: ‘The onlypiece of mitigation is his age. He was 21 at the time of these offences andcomes from something of a strict background.’
His mother, in religious dress, sat withher covered head bowed throughout and wept as her son was jailed.
Judge Lees said: ‘The fact that you haveattacked these women not withstanding your background must represent your ownwholly warped personality.’
After the trial, Det Chief Insp JohnSandlin, of the Homicide and serious Crime Command who investigated theoffences, said they believed there may be other victims who had not comeforward, but Islam has not been charged with any further offences.
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