Wedding day rapist had been jailed for identical attack

A convicted rapist attacked a woman on his wedding day after serving a life sentence for an almost identical attack.

Derry McCann, 28, pounced on the 24-year-old woman in a park in Hackney, east London, as she walked home after a night out with friends in the early hours of January 13.

McCann tied the knot at The Vestry in Bromley-by-Bow later that day and posted pictures of himself with his new wife on his public Facebook page.

The judge who sentenced McCann to life with a minimum of nine years in 2006 for attacking a young lawyer had said there was a ‘very substantial risk’ he would strike again.

McCann now faces another life sentence today (thurs) after he admitted three counts of rape, one of assault by penetration and one of robbery at Snaresbrook Crown Court.

Kate Bex, prosecuting, said: ‘It was about midnight or just a little after and the victim was walking a short distance home having been out at an art gallery and socialising with friends.

‘She was almost within sight of her front door having walked round the side of the park on her usual route home.

‘She avoided walking through the middle of the park as that was too dangerous.

‘Unfortunately when near the exit to the park the defendant grabbed her arm and pulled her off the path to one side and began a sustained and systematic attack, penetration of every orifice accompanied by unusual conversation with the victim best described as mind games as an attempt to control her.

‘He asked the victim what she thought he was going to do to her before carrying out the actual attacks that he did.

‘He behaved oddly in other respects, in interacting with the victim concerning the condom he used when he penetrated and ejaculated.

‘Items of her property are listed in the robbery, the theft of her mobile phone and a piece of her underwear.’

McCann hung his head as the facts of the case were read.

Ms Bex told the court McCann struck again shortly after serving his previous life sentence.

She added: ‘Mr McCann’s record may also be of some relevance.

‘The oldest conviction may be of some relevance to the offence as the circumstances are very similar.

Edmunds Vickers QC, defending, conceded: ‘A life sentence is inevitable.’

The victim told police McCann grabbed her and demanded cash before dragging her into bushes and raping her.

McCann was arrested and charged six days later.

Judge Martyn Zeidman QC ordered reports and remanded him in custody ahead of sentence on April 28.

He said: ‘You have done the most terrible things.

‘You will be going to prison as you understand for a very very long time.

‘The sentence will be listed for April 28.’

The sex beast was 17 and on a tag for burglary when he preyed on the 30-year-old trainee lawyer as she made her way home through an east London park in May 2006.

After snatching the woman’s handbag he chillingly told an accomplice: ‘I’m gonna have some fun with this one.’

The monster then dragged her down to the secluded banks of a pond in Mile End Park to inflict a string of disturbing sexual assaults.

A detective at the time aid he put his victim through a ‘life-changing trauma that will haunt her for the rest of her life’.

He had unleashed a foul-mouthed tirade at a judge as he was jailed for life with a recommendation of at least nine years at Inner London Crown Court in December 2006.

Judge Lindsay Burn had expressed deep concern over his ‘clinical enactment of a catalogue of sexual desires’, which amounted to ‘torture’.

The judge said: ‘Some of the most bizarre and worrying features of the evidence was your repeated threats to kill the complainant and your change of mood.

‘On the one hand you were a sexual aggressor, then you almost completely switched to the role of boyfriend, talking to her in a normal way.’

Judge Burn was so concerned about him he ordered a transcript of his sentencing remarks to be sent to the governor of the prison.

He said: ‘In my judgement there’s a very substantial risk that you will commit further serious offences in the future and your conduct will cause serious harm to your victim or victims.’

Speaking after McCann was jailed in 2006, Detective Sergeant Paul Lofts said: ‘This young man is a serious danger to the public.

‘He put this woman through a life-changing trauma that will haunt her for the rest of her life.

‘He deserves to be behind bars for everyone’s safety.’

McCann, of Bow, east London, admitted three counts of rape, one of assault by penetration, and one of robbery.