Jailed: Sex predator who assaulted woman, 75, and struck again while on bail

Jailed: Liban Abdi attacked five women
Met Police
Mark Chandler28 April 2016
WEST END FINAL

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An east London sex predator who attacked a 75-year-old woman in the street and assaulted his final victim while out on police bail, has been jailed for life today.

Unemployed Liban Abdi’s spree included three assaults carried out on the same day in the area around Poplar and Bethnal Green.

Abdi struck first on November 29 2014 at 9am, when he rummaged through a pensioner’s pockets, sexually assaulted her and punched the woman to the floor in Ming Street.

Later that afternoon he grabbed a 19-year-old woman in a DLR underpass at Blackwall, sexually assaulting her.

Just an hour later, he struck again, cornering a 21-year-old in a Commercial Road stairwell and sexually assaulting her before punching the woman repeatedly in the face.

Days later, in the early hours of December 4, Abdi followed a woman off the N15 bus and grabbed her from behind as she walked in Elizabeth Close. He dragged his victim to an area of wasteland and raped her.

Abdi was arrested on December 7, denying all offences, and was released on bail while police gathered forensic evidence.

Predator: Liban followed a woman off the N15 bus and raped her
Met Police

But while still on the streets on April 29 the following year, he sexually assaulted a woman who was walking down Hackney Road on her way home from work.

At Snaresbrook Crown Court today, Abdi, of Woodstock Terrace, was sentenced to a mimnimum of 12 years in jail.

He had previously been convicted of a string of offences including two rapes, four sexual assaults and an attempted rape.

Detective Constable Tim Duffin, from the Met's Sexual Offences Exploitation and Child Abuse Command, said: "Abdi targeted lone women and put them through a terrible ordeal.

“I would like to praise their bravery in coming forward and continued support throughout the investigation. It is thanks to them that this dangerous man is in prison.

"It is possible that there may be other women who were attacked by Abdi who are yet to contact police. I would ask them to call us so that we can help in any way possible."

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