A man who raped a vulnerable teenage girl in Westminster before going on to commit further offences in the Thames Valley area has been jailed for 21 years.
Timothy King, 37 (20.09.85), formally of Kilburn was sentenced at Reading Crown Court on Tuesday, 18 October to 21 years’ imprisonment with a seven year extended license.
King was the subject of a manhunt by both the Met and Thames Valley Police as he sought to evade police by using aliases and frequently moving location.
Extensive enquiries were conducted by detectives who traced him through London and tracked him down to an East London hideout. He was arrested by the Met and later remanded.
On 27 September 2021, King was in Leicester Square in Westminster, at around 05:00hrs when he came across a group of teenage girls who had been out socialising.
King approached one of the group, who was aged 16, and began chatting to her. Soon after, he led her away from her group and took her to a secluded alleyway where he raped her. The victim tried in vain to fight him off but could not stop his attack.
The victim reported the incident to police the same day and an investigation was launched immediately by detectives specialising in serious sexual assaults.
Detectives trawled through hours of CCTV footage to trace King’s movements on the night and establish a detailed timeline of the incident. They were able to identify him through speaking to witnesses who recognised King from the area.
A vigorous search for King was triggered whilst the investigation continued.
On 9 October 2021, King was at a property in Slough in which he locked the front door.
He then grabbed the victim, a woman in her 20s, by the neck and forced her on to a bed where she was raped. King followed the victim around the property and would not allow her to leave. He eventually left the property the next morning. The victim then sought medical treatment and reported the incident to police.
King also offered £10,000 to the victim of the rape in Slough over the phone when he found she had reported the incident to police.
During the investigation by Thames Valley Police, it was discovered that King was wanted by the Metropolitan Police for the Leicester Square offence.
Both forces then worked together to arrest King.
King was arrested by the Met in Tower Hamlets on 18 October 2021 and he was charged and remanded by Thames Valley Police on 20 October 2021.
A jury found King guilty of three counts of rape and one count each of false imprisonment, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and perverting the course of justice at Reading Crown Court on 1 August this year.
Detective Constable Emma Colston, based at the Domestic Abuse Investigation Unit at Windsor police station, said: “This investigation is a great example of forces working together and I am pleased that King has been convicted and sentenced to 21 years for his offences.
“His actions have shown him to be a violent and dangerous man and he will now spend time in prison. I’d like to thank the victim for her bravery in coming forward.
“Tackling violence against woman and girls is a priority for Thames Valley Police and we will work tirelessly to bring offenders before the courts and get justice for victims.”
Detective Sergeant Sophie McLoughlin, from the Met’s Central West Command Unit, said: “This was a predatory and harrowing attack on a young girl in the West End of London. Timothy King exploited the vulnerabilities of his victim in order to fulfil his desires. Crimes of this nature have a devastating long-lasting impact and the victims have shown immense courage throughout. Their bravery is inspiring and we hope that this significant prison sentence can bring some form of closure to them both as they rebuild their lives.
“This was a joint effort with Thames Valley Police, who we worked with closely throughout to ensure that King was taken off the streets. King’s actions were horrific and we are pleased that together we have been able to prevent the chance of him committing further offences.
“Investigating serious sexual offences is a top priority for the Met and we are determined in our task to protect the public from predators such as Timothy King.”
