Masked Late-Night Intruder Attacks Lone Woman. Are You A Victim?

A late-night prowler, who sneaked through an open ground-floor window last summer and sexually assaulted the lone young woman sleeping inside, was convicted on Tuesday.

Raymond Yates, 31, was captured on CCTV tying a t-shirt around his face in the early hours of July 25 before entering the property in Hurstbourne Road, Sydenham.

He was found guilty at Woolwich Crown Court of sexual assault, robbery, and trespass, with intent to commit a sexual offence, and will be sentenced on a future date.

Yates removed his shoes as he cased the property to prevent the 23 year-old woman hearing him sneaking around outside.

She awoke to find the defendant straddling her, pinning her to her bed.



Yates then subjected the woman to a sexual ordeal and threatened to kill her if she made a sound.

He then fled through the same window a minute later, having stolen two mobile phones.


Officers traced Yates using an app on one of the stolen mobile phones.

He was arrested, in possession of both phones, on board a bus in Brixton Hill approximately an hour after the incident at around 600am.



Detective Constable Corrado Di Mascio of the Met's Sapphire Unit, part of the Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Command, led the investigation.

He said:
"This was a particularly harrowing attack on a lone woman whilst she slept in her bed at home. 



"The evidence shows that Yates was calculating in his attack, concealing his identity and taking off his shoes in an attempt to mask his approach. 



"I would like to praise the victim who has been committed to seeing her attacker brought to justice."



Detective Chief Inspector Pete Thomas, also of Sapphire, added: "The level of planning and thought Yates demonstrated while carrying out this offence shows he is a committed offender.

“While we have no concrete evidence of other offences we cannot discount the possibility that Yates may have carried out other attacks.



"If you believe you have been the victim of this man, please contact police.

“Sapphire have specially trained officers who will support you and strive to obtain justice for you.”



Anyone who believes they may have been a victim of Raymond Yates is asked to contact the Sapphire Unit on 020 8721 4678.