WILLIAM TROTTER'S HORRIFIC CRIME IN BROMLEY AND ORPINGTON SHOCKS COMMUNITY

In December 2020, a disturbing case of sexual violence and kidnapping unfolded in the Bromley area, specifically affecting the towns of Orpington and Petts Wood. William Trotter, a 39-year-old man residing on Dagonet Road in Bromley, was convicted of heinous crimes including rape and kidnapping with the intent to commit a sexual offence. The conviction followed a detailed 12-day trial, during which the court heard harrowing details of the incident. Trotter is scheduled to be sentenced at Croydon Crown Court on Monday, December 14.

On the day of the attack, which occurred on Thursday, March 19, the victim, a teenage girl, had left her friend’s house in Petts Wood. She was walking towards another friend’s residence in Orpington but found that her intended host was not at home. Deciding to continue her journey, she opted to take the N199 bus from St Mary Cray towards Trafalgar Square in central London, aiming to visit her boyfriend.

According to police reports, Trotter boarded the bus at the Southborough Lane / Blackbrook Lane stop. The victim, upon noticing Trotter, disembarked briefly but then re-boarded the bus behind him after realizing she had alighted at the wrong stop. The two briefly engaged in conversation before sitting down together. As the bus approached the next stop, the victim prepared to disembark, and Trotter did the same.

Initially, Trotter appeared to head in the opposite direction, turning left after getting off the bus, while the victim continued walking along Southborough Lane towards Turpington Lane. The court revealed that Trotter had asked the bus driver if the route went to Downham, a stop far from his apparent destination, indicating possible confusion or intent. CCTV footage from the bus captured Trotter running down Southborough Lane in the same direction as the victim shortly after the bus departed.

As the girl crossed a road near a grassy area on Turpington Lane, Trotter suddenly struck her on the right side of her head with an unidentified object. The force of the blow caused her to fall to the ground. Seizing the opportunity, Trotter dragged her into nearby bushes where he committed the assault. Witnesses heard the girl’s terrified screams and saw Trotter leaning over her, which prompted one witness to immediately call the police. Officers arrived within four minutes of the emergency call and found the victim stumbling out of the bushes. Trotter was still present in the area, hiding in the bushes, but he quickly fled the scene by climbing over a fence into nearby allotments.

Following the attack, authorities issued a media appeal seeking witnesses. The next day, they released a CCTV image of Trotter, which led to numerous tips from the public, including former partners who identified him. Meanwhile, Trotter fled to Scotland, staying with a relative under false pretenses about his reasons for being there. Detectives launched an immediate manhunt, tracking him back to London. When police apprehended him, Trotter attempted to give a false name and tried to escape again.

During the trial, evidence was presented that linked Trotter to the scene through DNA analysis. A plastic bag he was carrying, later recovered from the scene, contained DNA profiles matching both Trotter and the victim. The case highlighted the community’s shock and the swift response of law enforcement in bringing the perpetrator to justice, but the trauma inflicted remains a stark reminder of the dangers faced by vulnerable individuals in the area.