Admin l Friday, April 28, 2017
SNARESBROOK, London – A man who carried out vicious rape hours before he was due to get married has been sentenced to life. Snaresbrook Crown Court heard how Derry McCann beat and raped his victim hours before he was due to get married.
Today, Friday, 28 April, Derry McCann, 28 of St. Peters Way, Hackney, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of nine years. He had earlier pleaded guilty at the same court on Thursday 2 March to three counts of rape and one count of robbery.
The court heard how at about 23:00hrs on Thursday, 12 January the victim, a woman in her mid 20s, was walking home near Victoria Park, Grove Road, E3, after an evening out with friends. She suddenly became aware of McCann, who was a complete stranger, loitering near the pathway. As she tried to pass him, McCann grabbed her and pulled her towards some benches.
He then told the victim to be quiet and made it clear that he would hurt her if she resisted. She tried to placate and reason with McCann as much as possible but he hit her in the face.
The victim was subjected to a drawn out attack during which she was raped, beaten and humiliated. When the ordeal was over, McCann took photos of his victim and said that she was lucky that he did not video it.
He stole her mobile phone as he made off from the scene. Hours after the attack, he went on to get married. The distressed victim was able to make her way home and reported the incident. An investigation began immediately by detectives from the Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Command. McCann was identified as the suspect based on the description and efit the victim provided.
He was arrested on Wednesday, 18 January and refused to answer any questions. The victim, however, bravely identified McCann at an identity parade. Detectives believe that McCann had been following another woman immediately before the rape, but he had lost this woman and then stalked his eventual victim.
On Thursday, 19 January McCann was charged as above.
Detective Sergeant Stephen Porter from the Met’s Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Command said: “This was a truly dreadful crime. McCann put his victim through a horrendous ordeal and her courage and bravery have been a stark contrast to McCann’s cowardly and vicious attack. Thankfully her courage meant that the offender was swiftly arrested and brought to justice. I hope this will reassure those who suffer sexual violence that they will be supported and their crimes rigorously investigated.
“As for McCann, the long sentence imposed today is completely deserved. I am sure he set out that night to carry out a sexual assault; the public needs to be protected from such predators.”
