A 17 year-old boy, who is unable to be named for legal reasons, has been sentenced to 12 months at a Youth Rehabilitation Centre. 

On 9 October, Wimbledon Youth Court heard that the perpetrator had been convicted of three counts of sexual assault, two counts of theft and one robbery.

The teenager has also been served with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which means he must be accompanied in open spaces.

The victims, all between the ages of 45 and 63, were all walking their dogs alone at the time of the attacks in South Norwood Country Park, Croydon. Each incident occurred between May 3 and July 21.

Detective Constable Kathlyn Stanley-Quist, who led the investigation, said: “The defendant in this case brazenly targeted women who were alone in a park they used regularly – a community space in which they should have felt safe.

“These victims were left traumatised by these attacks and have had to relive their experiences again during this trial.

Police had launched an appeal for witnesses and any information and posted additional patrols in the park.

The defendant was identified through CCTV and was arrested on July 1. Further investigations showed that he had used his SIM card in one of the victims stolen phones.

Stanley-Quist added:“This was a complex and fast-moving investigation in which the team trawled through hours of CCTV; this ultimately led to the identification of the victim. We are also grateful to those members of the public who assisted us in identifying and locating the defendant so quickly.

“We hope this conviction brings the victims in this case some form of closure and demonstrates our commitment to getting dangerous individuals off the streets of London.”