ABDALLAH BABALLAH, EAST LONDON SEX OFFENDER, SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS IN PRISON
A convicted sex offender, Abdallah Baballah, 26, who sought to emulate the notorious serial rapist Joseph McCann during a spree of attacks in east London, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.Baballah targeted women walking alone at night, threatening them with a knife and carrying out violent sexual assaults while also stealing their belongings.
When police detained him, officers found that Baballah had researched his own crimes online, including downloading CCTV footage released to aid in his capture.
His phone also contained searches related to Joseph McCann, who had raped and assaulted 11 women and children just months prior to Baballah’s crimes.
At Snaresbrook Crown Court on Thursday, Baballah was sentenced to 20 years behind bars and will serve an additional five years on license after release.
Detective Sergeant Sara Yems of the Met’s Specialist Crime Command described him as “an extremely dangerous offender who targeted women as they walked home alone in the dark.” She added, “He waited for the most opportune moments before attacking, leaving his victims traumatized.
I want to thank the women for coming forward, supporting the investigation, and providing vital evidence that led to his conviction, ensuring he cannot harm anyone else.” Baballah, a former ESOL student at Barking and Dagenham College, carried out his attacks over just 11 days in July 2019.
His first victim was targeted when she disembarked a night bus in Plaistow around 2:30 am.
Following her, Baballah threatened her with a knife, forcibly dragged her to a secluded spot, and raped her three times, stealing cash from her wallet before returning her phone—whose fingerprint helped police identify him.
On July 6, 2019, the second victim was attacked after leaving Leyton underground station at 3 am.
Baballah grabbed her and stole her phone, then demanded oral sex, which she managed to escape from.
An hour later, in Leyton, he assaulted and raped another woman, punching her and stealing her phone and ring.
His final attack took place on July 8 in Dagenham, where he chased a woman off a bus and demanded her phone.
The last known victim was assaulted on July 11 in East Ham, where Baballah dragged her into a side road, pinned her down, and punched her until she managed to escape and seek help; her bag and phone were stolen.
Baballah was arrested on July 25, while carrying one of the victim’s phones.
His arrest was linked to the crimes through his Oyster card records and phone data, which revealed searches related to the crimes, including “man raped two women in east London” and “rape rule in Britain.” The Sudanese national, of no fixed address, admitted charges of rape, attempted rape, two counts of robbery, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Following a trial, he was convicted of three additional rape charges, three robberies, sexual assault, attempted rape, and making threats to kill.
