WILLIAM MCMAHON SENTENCED IN LONDON FOR 1990 EAST LONDON SEXUAL ASSAULTS
In a case that spanned over two decades, William McMahon, a 60-year-old man with no fixed address, was finally brought to justice for a series of heinous sexual offenses committed in east London.The crimes, which took place on the evening of June 29, 1990, involved the brutal assault of three young girls near The Greenway, Upper Road, E13.
At the time, the victims were just 12 and 13 years old.
They had been playing together in the vicinity of the disused building when they decided to explore the abandoned structure out of curiosity.
Unbeknownst to them, McMahon had been following their movements.
He approached the girls, threatening them and forcing them to comply with his demands.
The assault was particularly disturbing, as McMahon subjected one of the victims to an anal rape, and then proceeded to sexually assault her two friends.
Despite the severity of the crimes, the incident was reported to the police shortly after it occurred.
Forensic evidence was collected at the time, but no suspect was identified, and the case went cold.
It was only after a review by the Cold Case Team in September 2010, utilizing advances in DNA technology, that new leads emerged.
A full DNA profile was obtained, but initially, no match was found within the existing database.
Further developments occurred in April 2015 when McMahon was arrested in connection with an unrelated domestic matter.
During this arrest, authorities linked him to the 1990 offenses through DNA evidence.
He was formally charged on September 2, 2015, and appeared at Snaresbrook Crown Court on April 25, 2016.
During the court proceedings, McMahon pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including one count of rape, three counts of indecent assault, and three counts of false imprisonment.
His plea led to a lengthy sentencing.
He was sentenced to 18 years in prison for the rape, with additional sentences for the other charges, all to run concurrently.
Specifically, he received ten years each for the indecent assaults involving penetration, six years for non-penetrative indecent assault, and four years for each false imprisonment count.
Additionally, McMahon was sentenced to two months for failing to appear in court on an earlier date, with this sentence to run consecutively.
William McMahon’s case highlights the importance of technological advancements in solving cold cases and delivering justice for victims who have waited decades for closure.
