June 2001 Child rapist jailed for 12 LIFE sentences (minimum of 18 years) Five teenage victims of a serial rapist have watched their attacker jailed for 12 life sentences for a series of “sickening” attacks. Alan Payne, 30, dubbed the Greenford Rapist, was found guilty at the Old Bailey of 17 offences, including the rape of an 11-year-old girl in west London. But the judge’s ruling that Payne could apply for parole after eight years prompted angry reaction from the victims in the public gallery One shouted and stormed out of the court, another was led out in tears. Judge Richard Hawkins QC told Payne: “You have been convicted by the jury of 17 counts – all of them are sexual offences on young women. “Each victim was taken at knife-point and sexually humiliated.” Recommending that Payne serve a minimum of 18 years, Judge Hawkins said the experience must have been terrible for the young women. “You are plainly very dangerous and likely to commit, if released, more offences in the future,” he added. Payne, of Oakfield Gardens, Greenford, west London, attacked five girls, aged between 11 and 18, during two weeks last summer. He approached the girls and threatened them at knife-point before subjecting them to what police described as “sickening” attacks. PC Vicky Brownlee, from Southall, who has been the liaison officer for the 11-year-old, said: “The families have not only had to deal with the incidents, but the fact that he didn’t admit what he had done meant they had to come to court and relive the ordeal. “This is hopefully the beginning of the healing process. But at the end of the day they have to cope with this for the rest of their life.” The attacker was arrested in August last year after an e-fit picture was published in the media. The judge praised local resident Steven Finn who recognised Payne while walking his dog and alerted police. “He is to be highly recommended for his actions,” he said. “In view of my sentence, it is quite likely that the offender would have continued to commit offences had he not been caught.” Payne denied the charges, which included two rapes, two attempted rapes, kidnapping, sexual indecency and robbery. ‘Justice has been done’ DNA samples taken from two of the victims proved to be a billion to one match of his own. Outside court, Detective Chief Inspector Trevor Barnes said: “Justice has been done. A sad and dangerous rapist has been sent to prison for life. “I can only hope that the victims in this case can move on today and start rebuilding their lives, which will probably take a very long time.” Mr Barnes also thanked Mr Finn for his help, which, he said, showed photo-fits did work and all calls to police were followed up. Payne was also sentenced to five concurrent sentences of eight years for other offences including sexual assault.