Admin I Thursday, July 08,2026
A TERRIFIED woman was subjected to a chilling stalking campaign by a predator who ambushed her from behind and tried to drug her with a chemical-soaked rag, police have revealed.
Scotland Yard detectives have launched a major manhunt for the prowler after he brazenly returned to terrorise the same victim outside her London home—nearly a year after his first horrific attack.
The Metropolitan Police have today released a dramatic e-fit image of the suspect in a desperate bid to take him off the streets.
The horror began in May last year when the victim, a woman in her 20s, was targeted in a quiet residential area off Hornsey Road in Islington, North London.
On May 24, 2025, the woman was in her property’s communal garden when the brute snuck up behind her. In a scene mirroring a horror film, he clamped a cloth with a “strong smell”—believed to be a chemical knockout agent—over her mouth.
Against all odds, the brave victim managed to fight him off and flee the scene to safety.
But the predator’s twisted fixation did not end there. The very next day, on May 25, the unknown man tracking her movements attempted to smash or force his way directly into her home.
Terrified, the woman immediately contacted the police. Officers launched a full-scale investigation, scouring local streets for CCTV footage and conducting inquiries.
However, despite their best efforts, no suspect could be identified at the time.
With all leads exhausted, the investigation was reluctantly closed, leaving the traumatised victim trying to rebuild her life.
But her worst nightmare became a reality last April when the shadow of her attacker returned.
Almost a year after she was first ambushed, the victim was left frozen in fear when she spotted the exact same man lurking right outside her front door.
Between Saturday, April 4 and Friday, April 10, 2026, the brazen stalker was spotted loitering outside her home on at least three separate occasions, proving he had never forgotten her.
Following the terrifying new sightings, detectives immediately reopened the case, launching an extensive investigation involving door-to-door enquiries and hours of fresh CCTV analysis.
The suspect is described as a Black man in his early 40s, around 6ft tall. Crucially, during his recent stalking spree, he was wearing a distinctive black jacket with a Stone Island logo clearly visible on the arm.
Detective Constable Paul Le Fevre, leading the hunt, made an urgent appeal to the public to help identify the man in the e-fit.
”Since these latest incidents were reported to us, we have carried out extensive enquiries, including working with the victim to create an e-fit picture of the suspect and circulating it to thousands of officers, and reviewing many hours of CCTV footage.
”Despite this, we have so far been unable to identify the suspect in the picture and are now appealing to the public for help. We would ask anyone who recognises the man in the image, or who has information about these incidents, to please get in touch with us.”
DC Le Fevre added a stark warning: “We need to trace this man. Any detail you can give us could help identify him.”
Police are urging anyone who lives in the N7/Hornsey Road area or anyone who recognises the description or e-fit of the man to come forward immediately.
Metropolitan Police: Call 101 quoting crime reference 01/7421034/26; Crimestoppers: Call 100% anonymously on 0800 555 111