A man from Tower Hamlets who went on a violent spree beating, sexually assaulting and strangling three women in the space of thirty minutes has been sentenced to five years imprisonment with an additional three on licence.

Dylan Makepeace, 24, of Mile End Road, pleaded guilty at Snaresbrook Crown Court to two counts of assault by beating, sexual assault on a woman, intentional strangulation, and one count of Section 20 GBH. Makepeace has also been added to the Sex Offenders Register for life.

He launched the first attack on two women in Bethnal Green at around 17:30 on 27 November, last year. He targeted another woman nearby half an hour later.

Makepeace was pursued by a group of young men on bikes, who “bravely” detained him until police arrived to arrest him.

Detective Sergeant Michael Dixon, who led the investigation, said: “Dylan Makepeace is very clearly a danger to the public and especially lone women. He was opportunistic and violent in his approach. He specifically targeted women as they returned home and entered private residential areas to carry out attacks.”

Makepeace first followed two women on Cleveland Road into their residential block. One of them became concerned and began filming Makepeace.

He launched an attack on both women, pushing them and pinning them to the ground. Both women sustained cuts and scratch wounds. Makepeace fled after one of the women struck him with a mobile phone. The women called police to report the attack, but Makepeace’s spree was not over.

At around 18:00 Makepeace tailed a woman returning from the gym, and again entered her residential building on Cambridge Heath Road. The woman noticed Makepeace, and stood to the side hoping he would pass by.

Instead, Makepeace grabbed the woman and pressed his hand over her mouth. The pair struggled and fell to the ground, whilst the woman tried to hit him with her house key.

Makepeace jammed his fingers down her throat and hit her head hard on the ground. He told her to “shut up” and called her offensive names. Makepeace then sexually assaulted the woman by touching her over her clothing.

The woman continued to fight back, striking him with the key, and Makepeace fled when a group of boys on bikes arrived outside the apartment block.

A nearby resident heard the woman’s screams and also came to help. They took her into their flat and called police. The boys successfully detained Makepeace until police arrived. An identification parade later linked Makepeace to the first incident.

Dixon said: “I want to pay tribute to the bravery of these three women. They all showed incredible fortitude as they supported our investigation. I am in no doubt that London is a safer place with Dylan Makepeace behind bars.”