Rapist who attacked stranger in Victoria Park hours before his wedding jailed for life

A rapist who attacked a woman in Victoria Park, telling her she was lucky he hadn’t filmed it, just hours before he married his pregnant fiancée has been jailed for life.

Snaresbrook Crown Court heard how Derry McCann, of St Peters Way, Hackney, had raped his victim, a woman in her mid-20s, after grabbing her as she walked home from an evening out with friends at around 11pm on Thursday, January 12.

As she tried to pass McCann, who was loitering near the pathway, he grabbed her and pulled her towards some benches where he threatened to hurt her if she fought back before beating and raping her in a ‘drawn out attack’.

When her ordeal was over McCann took photos of his victim telling her ‘she was lucky’ that he did not video the attack before he fled with her phone.

Hours later he married his pregnant fiancé.

Detectives investigating the attack identified McCann, 28, as the suspect based on a description the victim provided.

When he was arrested on January 18 he and refused to answer any questions. But he was picked out by his victim in an identity parade.

Detectives believe that he had been following another woman immediately before the rape, but he had lost track of her so picked out his McCann was identified as the suspect based on a description the victim provided. He was arrested on Wednesday, 18 January and refused to answer any questions.

The victim, however, bravely identified McCann in an identity parade.

Detectives believe that McCann had been following another woman immediately before the rape, but he had lost track so stalked his eventual victim instead.

Det Sgt Stephen Porter from the Met’s Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Command said: “This was a truly dreadful crime. McCann put his victim through a horrendous ordeal and her courage and bravery have been a stark contrast to McCann’s cowardly and vicious attack.

“Thankfully her courage meant that the offender was swiftly arrested and brought to justice. I hope this will reassure those who suffer sexual violence that they will be supported and their crimes rigorously investigated.

“As for McCann, the long sentence imposed today is completely deserved. I am sure he set out that night to carry out a sexual assault; the public needs to be protected from such predators.”

McCann had previously pleaded guilty to three counts of rape, one count of assault by penetration and one court of robbery.

He will serve a minimum of nine years.

He had only recently been freed from jail after spending several years behind bars for an attack in 2006. McCann, then 18, had been jailed for life but was freed after his minimum term of nine years was cut at an appeal.