Ciro Pipolo Pic: Metropolitan Police

A Catford housing landlord has been jailed for 22 months after sexually assaulting his 19-year-old tenant.

Ciro Pipolo, 40, of Datchet Road, was sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court following the attack on the young woman.

Pipolo had been advertising spare rooms through online housing sites when he met the woman.

His victim made inquiries in response to an online housing advert and contacted Pipolo in January 2014.

He explained that for a ‘reasonable price’ the tenant would have to share a room with him.

On the night that his victim moved in, she was sexually assaulted as she fell asleep.

He denied the allegation when confronted by his tenant the following morning but was arrested on January 28 and charged with one count of sexual assault.

Detective Constable Danielle Clifton, of Lewisham CID, said: “Pipolo acted in a predatory manner.”

“He completely took advantage of the victim and subjected her to a terrible ordeal.”

Pipolo, now a registered sex offender, continues to deny the allegation. He claims he and his tenant never shared a room and that he had slept in a different bed.

– By Richard Smith