A man has been convicted of multiple rape offences after two "horrendous" attacks on lone women in Greenwich.

Alan Green, 39, of Thanington Court, SE9, has been described as an "opportunistic monster" and a "total coward" by police after orchestrating the two attacks in March and June this year.

On Monday, November 25, he was found guilty at Woolwich Crown Court of three counts of rape, one attempted rape and three counts of digital penetration.

Detective Constable Andrew Sumpter, the investigating officer, said: “These two women were going about their daily lives when they were subjected to the most horrendous ordeals, in which they feared for their lives.

“Green is an opportunistic monster, as well as a total coward who denied his actions and so made the victims have to re-live what happened to them through the court process.

“Their bravery throughout has been nothing short of astonishing, and I am truly grateful for them for supporting our investigation, which has resulted in this conviction. I hope in time that this will help bring this horrible matter to a close for them."

The first attack took place in the early morning of March 9 in Blackheath Common as a woman in her 50s was on her way to work.

A man with a bike sitting on a nearby bench stood up and approached the victim, then pushed her to the ground where he attempted to rape her.

The man then fled the scene on his bicycle, and the woman, "terrified and traumatised," made her way to work and alerted colleagues, who contacted the police.

At 2am on Saturday, June 2, another incident occurred as a woman in her 20s was talking to her friend on the phone as she approached a footbridge near Tunnel Avenue, SE10.

She became aware of a man who passed her before turning back on himself, alarming her.

The man then grabbed the victim, who tried to fight him off but was pulled into a bush.

There she was raped three times, before the suspect fled the scene on a bicycle.

A police investigation was launched, and officers were able to identify Green as the person responsible through forensic evidence.

He was arrested at his home on June 19, answering no comment during interview, and will now be sentenced back at Woolwich Crown Court on January 13, 2020.

Detective Constable Sumpter added: "“I would like to praise the team who led this investigation and worked so hard to bring justice to the victims. My colleagues especially in the Met’s Forensic Services deserve our utmost gratitude for the invaluable work they do in helping us catch criminals.

“I hope Green will now spend a very long time in prison.”