Serial rapist idolised Joseph McCann
A sex predator who struck five times in just 11 days as he tried to emulate serial rapist Joseph McCann is facing years in jail.
Abdallah Baballah, 25, stalked his victims as they left Tube stations or got off night buses and then told a jury they had all consented
The former Barking and Dagenham College student followed his first victim off the N15 night bus in Plaistow at around 2.30am on 1 July.
Sudanese Baballah snarled: ‘Give me your phone or I’ll stab you’ before dragging the woman into a quiet street and raping her three times, jurors were told.
He stole cash from her wallet but returned her phone and identity cards.
Baballah targeted his second victim after she got off a train at Leyton underground station five days later on 6 July at around 3am.
He grabbed hold of her and told her he had a knife as he snatched her phone from her.
Baballah told the terrified woman he would return her mobile if she performed oral sex on him, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard.
But the victim managed to escape when a member of the public walked by.
An hour later, just after 4am, Baballah attacked another woman in Leyton.
He took her phone and ring, then raped her before punching her in the face, the court heard.
The woman managed to run to a nearby house to get help.
Baballah attacked his fourth victim on 8 July 2019 at around 3am after she got off a N15 bus in Dagenham.
He demanded she hand over her phone and chased her down the street, the court heard.
The victim started to scream but Baballah lashed out and struck her in the face before trying to cover her mouth.
He eventually fled with the woman’s bag and phone.
The final victim was attacked after she got off the N15 night bus in East Ham in the early hours of 11 July.
Baballah dragged her into a side road before throwing her to the ground and attempting to keep her down with a punch.
The woman managed to fight him off, breaking free to run to a member of the public who emerged from his home upon hearing her screams.
Baballah again ran off with the woman’s bag and phone.
Prosecutor Karen Phillips said: ‘This violent and depraved man has at every turn tried to divert responsibility away from himself by callously claiming that many of these encounters were consensual.
‘They were not.
‘Baballah targeted women on their way home and in most cases threatened them with physical violence unless they carried out sexual acts.
‘Despite suffering such terrifying experiences, I must pay tribute to these five immensely brave women.
‘As a result of their courage a dangerous man is no longer on the streets.
‘I hope that his conviction provides them with some sense of comfort and allows them to move on with their lives.’
Jurors were told Baballah had searched for articles about serial rapist Joseph McCann.
He had also looked up ‘Man raped two women in east London’, ‘rape rule in Britain’ and viewed numerous pornographic videos.
Baballah was arrested on 25 July after police officers spotted him around East Ham where he had attacked his last victim two weeks before.
He was found guilty of nine counts including rape, attempted rape and robbery following a trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court.
Baballah, of no fixed address, was remanded in custody ahead of sentence on 30 July.
