Jail for man who repeatedly raped prostitute in Forest Gate street

A university student who threatened a prostitute with a screwdriver before repeatedly raping her in Forest Gate has been jailed for 15 years.

Ashley Mitton, of Violet Road, Leyton, was handed his sentence at Inner London Crown Court on Monday.

Mitton, 24, had been found guilty in September of four counts of rape, one of possessing an offensive weapon and one count of robbery.

The court heard how on March 9, 2013, Mitton had driven to Romford Road at around 4.30am and asked a woman to get into his car.

He drove her to Disraeli Road before threatening her with a screwdriver and raping her repeatedly in the car.

The 30-year-old’s ordeal only stopped when he was disturbed by another car and Mitton drove off from the scene with his victim still in the back.

She tried to call for help on her phone and when he noticed this, Mitton ordered her to get out of the car.

Another prostitute was raped in Mitton’s car on June 15, 2013, after he approached her in Ilford Lane, Ilford.

She managed to run away from the car and alert a passing motorist, who gave police Mitton’s car registration number.

He was traced and arrested later that day.

During the investigation, he was also found to have threatened a third prostitute with a sharp-edged item in order to rob her of her bag, for which he was also charged.

Det Con John Buck, who led the investigation, said: “Ashley Mitton was a university student, captain of the football team, but under that seemingly normal exterior was a very dangerous young man who preyed on vulnerable women.

“Mitton targeted sex workers to carry out his horrific crimes, women who are in a very vulnerable situation.

“He had the extremely misguided belief that they would not be believed because they were sex workers.”

He urged anyone else who may have been attacked by Mitton to come forward and speak to the police by calling 101.