Paedophile Rape Case To Be Reviewed
An inquiry has been launched after a dangerous teenage paedophile was convicted of raping an 11-year-old girl whilst on probation.
Opemipo Jaji, 18, had just left his probation officer when he spotted the girl going home from school on a bus.
He followed her and dragged her into a park to subject her to a three-hour rape ordeal, before going to a youth centre from which he was banned as part of a supervision order.
Jaji, of Edmonton, north London, had been given an 18-month supervision order six months before for making indecent images of children.
A year earlier, he had sexually assaulted and robbed a 12-year-old schoolgirl on a housing estate.
Later, he was given a 10 month detention and training order which he later breached.
A Probation Service spokesman said: "Our deepest sympathies are with the victim and their family following this horrific crime.
"A multi-agency public protection arrangement (Mappa) serious case review into what happened in this case has been launched."
Jaji is facing a life term when he is sentenced on June 7 after being found guilty at the Old Bailey of rape.
He had denied raping the terrified girl in Jubilee Park, Enfield, north London, in November, last year.
The brave youngster gave evidence against him on videolink.
She said Jaji told her:
"I am this close to killing you", and also threatened to film her and send copies to children at her school and to "everyone you love".
She said:
"He kept saying, 'stop moving or I will stab you'. I tried to run away but then he grabbed me when I got to the pavement of the park entrance.
"I kept on saying 'stop' because it was hurting me and he kept saying 'shut up' to me. He was just saying it every time I spoke.
"When I was on the floor, he said he would film me and send it into my school.
"I was saying 'get off me, get off me, stop'."
The girl, who had one of her gloves stuffed in her mouth, ran home after she was allowed to dress.
Her parents were distraught when she turned up dirty and dishevelled, the court heard.
They had called police when she failed to arrive home from school by 5.30pm.
The child was taken to hospital and underwent an operation for an injury.
Rosina Cottage QC, prosecuting, said: "Jaji is interested in little girls and sexual acts with little girls."
Jaji, a trainee chef, was arrested a few days later after CCTV was viewed and his bedroom was searched.
A book was found about a little girl being sexually assaulted, along with ads for child care vacancies and a picture of a young girl in Australia.
There was also an article about missing April Jones, the five-year-old Welsh girl thought to have been murdered.
Police believe he was a dangerous paedophile whose offending was escalating.
Detective Chief Inspector Adam Lowe of the Met's Sapphire command, said:
"Jaji posed a great danger to young girls and despite the great weight of evidence against him, refused to accept his guilt and forced the victim to give evidence in court.
"This was a particularly brutal but unusual attack on an innocent 11-year-old schoolgirl who will no doubt continue to suffer the emotional scars of what happened to her for a very long time.
"I would like to take this opportunity to praise the bravery of the victim and her family."
Sarah Maclaren of the Crown Prosecution Service said:
"This was a vicious and horrific attack on a young victim.
"As a result of this conviction a dangerous sexual offender has now been brought to justice.
"I would like to thank the 11-year-old victim and her family for their enormous strength and courage in supporting this prosecution."