A man who grabbed a woman off the street, forced her into a car and raped her in Thamesmead has been found guilty following a trial.

David Witham, 52, of no fixed abode was found guilty of kidnap, rape and actual bodily harm at Inner London Crown Court today (July 3).

Witham had waited for the victim, a woman he knew, in his car in the early hours of January 5.

At 5.15am, as the woman walked towards a bus stop in Bentham Road, Witham got out of his car and grabbed her, forced her into the car and raped her.

Following her ordeal, the woman managed to escape from the car and alert a resident in the street as to what had happened.

Witham was arrested in Kent later the same day and subsequently charged.

DC Alexandra Johnson of the Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Command said: “David Witham used the threat of violence and intimidation to force the victim into his car and rape her.

“The victim has shown great courage in reporting this matter to police and attending court to give evidence.

“I hope this conviction goes some way to providing closure to the victim.”

Witham will be sentenced at Inner London on July 31.

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