A “predator” who stalked the dark streets of east London at night hunting his victims has been jailed for two vicious rape attacks seven years apart.

East London Advertiser: Caught on camera... rapist Jonathan Graden spotted in Commercial Street. Picture: Met PoliceCaught on camera... rapist Jonathan Graden spotted in Commercial Street. Picture: Met Police (Image: MPS)

Jonathan Graden, 30, was tracked down through CCTV images showing him minutes before the second rape carried out 12 months ago in Spitalfields.

His DNA taken after his eventual arrest was linked to the first rape seven years earlier in Leytonstone.

The 30-year-old has been sentenced to life with a minimum of 10 years jail time after appearing in the dock at Snaresbrook Crown Court for what one detective called his "depraved and cowardly actions".

Graden followed a 22-year-old woman along Hanbury Street into a building on November 9 last year where he raped her in the basement. He fled after subjecting her to a 20-minuite ordeal.

But extensive CCTV searches showed Graden in Commercial Street minutes before the attack, and again getting into a cab which was traced after it turned up at Belvedere in south-east London.

Detectives released images in a media appeal and officers dropped hundreds of leaflets in the area where the cab took him.

East London Advertiser: Close up showing Graden in Commercial Street at the corner of White's Row... just before the rape attack in Hanbury Street nearby. Picture: Met PoliceClose up showing Graden in Commercial Street at the corner of White's Row... just before the rape attack in Hanbury Street nearby. Picture: Met Police (Image: MPS)

Graden later handed himself in to police last December as a result of the extensive appeals, detectives believe.

"He is an obvious danger to women, but has been brought to account," Det Cons Chris Ives said after the court case.

"His victims have acted with courage and dignity in contrast to Graden's depraved and cowardly actions. I hope the jail sentence handed down brings them a measure of closure."

Graden's DNA taken after he handed himself in for the rape in Hanbury Street linked him to the earlier rape in Leytonstone in February 2011 when a 24-year-old woman was pushed to the ground in Dyers Hall Road and raped.

Graden, from Hackney, admitted both attacks when he appeared in court.

Detective Sergeant Kendal Moore said later: "These two women were subjected to horrific sexual violence by this predator.

"But we are determined to bring sexual offenders to justice—no matter how many years have passed."

The hunt for Graden was carried out by the Met's Child Abuse and Sexual Offences Command which is appealing to anyone who's been subjected to sexual assault to contact the police to "bring those responsible to justice".