A man was sentenced to 12 years in prison on Tuesday after being found guilty of raping a lone woman in Lewisham in a “brutal and extremely sinister attack.”

Danut Bulboana, 21, of no fixed address, was sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court. In August, he was found guilty of two counts of rape and one count of attempting to suffocate.

The case against Bulboana included a combination of strong witness testimony from the victim, DNA evidence and CCTV footage.

Bulboana had attacked the 29-year-old victim, who was lost after being dropped off at the wrong location by a cab, in August last year.

The victim recalled being in an unfamiliar wooded area near Catford Bridge Railway Station with an unknown man when the attack took place. 

Senior Crown Prosecutor Nijola O’Brien said in a statement: “This was a terrifying attack on a woman by a complete stranger.” 

“The victim demonstrated remarkable bravery in leading police officers in a search of the local area, during which they found Bulboana. The victim was able to identify him despite the fact he had changed out of his clothes to avoid being caught.” 

“Bulboana will now have to face the consequences of his actions.”

Detective Constable Dean Young, who led the investigation, commended the “sheer bravery displayed by the victim who quickly called the police after being subjected to a truly horrific ordeal.”

“Rape and sexual offences often inflict lasting trauma on victims, but I hope that Bulboana’s conviction will help the victim’s recovery process somewhat.”

“If you are a victim of a sexual crime, please tell us – you will be supported by specialist officers who are trained to help and guide victims throughout their recovery process.”