A man from South London who 'sought lone women' to rape by masquerading as an Uber driver has been jailed for 19 years.

Michael Mehari, 37, was found guilty of three counts of rape on December 15, 2022, following a trial at Inner London Crown Court. He was today (Thursday, February 23) sentenced to 19 years in prison at the same court.

Mehari, of Kennington, was handed nine years for his attack on one woman on Sunday, December 29, 2019. The victim, aged in her twenties, was followed by Mehari as she walked home from a night out with friends.

She was hit on the head by Mehari, who dragged her to a pathway in Kennington Gardens where he raped her.

Mehari evaded trial after this 2019 attack until he targeted another woman in March 2022. The victim, a woman in her twenties, had booked an Uber home from a night out when Mehari, posing as her Uber driver booking, collected her and took her to a quiet street in Kennington where he twice raped her.

An investigation was launched which led to the arrest of Mehari and a DNA sample, taken in custody, which linked him to both the 2019 and 2022 offences.

Mehari, a father, denied both rapes at trial, claiming consent, but was found guilty by a jury of three counts.

At the Old Bailey today, Judge Rosina Cottage KC sentenced Mehari to 19 years in prison with an extra four years on license after his release.

She said: "Both of the victims were particularly vulnerable, each was very drunk and the CCTV images show them weaving about.

"Neither were in a position to notice the danger they were in from you."

"Your attitude to the offending remains denial of any responsibility, which means you pose a significant risk to members of the public of serious harm," said the judge.

In a victim impact statement, the woman attacked in 2019 talked urged the judge: "Please protect other women from this man, and send a clear message to society and other men that this behaviour is abhorrent and will not be tolerated."

"The thought of being alone in the dark overwhelms me," the second woman attacked by Mehari told the court.

"I got into this man's vehicle believing he was my booked taxi, never expecting this to happen."

She said she had followed recommended safety advice but was tricked by Mehari and after dozing off woke to find him on top of her in the back of the vehicle.

"Even me saying 'you are raping me' didn't seem to have an effect on him," she added. "This man had no care in the world for what I wanted. He didn't give me a choice, I felt violated and disgusting."

Detective Constable Tristan Jones of the Met's Central South Command said: "Mehari is a dangerous opportunist who actively sought lone women. 

"Identifying and apprehending those who commit violence against women and girls is a priority to which we are absolutely committed.

"I applaud the bravery of the victims in this case. I sincerely hope that the sentence handed to Mehari provides them with a degree of closure and a sense that justice has been done. 

"I urge anyone who has been a victim of sexual assault to contact police or a support agency. Please don't suffer in silence."