A Southwark man has been jailed for two sexual assaults after police tracked his Santander hire bike.

Christion Wright, 28, of Southwark followed and sexually assaulted a woman in St James’ Park in January, 2021 before escaping on a bicycle after she bit him on the hand.

Following a thorough investigation the suspect was captured on CCTV docking the bicycle in Lambeth’s Lower Marsh Street.

The offender dragged a woman to the ground while masturbating at approximately 23:30 on January 29, 2021 in the park.

He then stated his intention to have sex with her, however took off after being bitten.

After analysing CCTV between St James’ Park and Southwark, Met police at Charing Cross were able to track Christion’s movements as he cycled away from the scene.

Christion was arrested and charged for the assault on March 5, 2021 and on December 20, 2021 pleaded guilty to both charges.

On January 14, 2022 he was sentenced to three years and eight months behind bars.

Detective Constable Henh Ban Song of Central West CID said: “My colleagues and I are using all legitimate methods at our disposal to identify and convict those who commit crimes against women in the capital.

“In this case, Met officers based at Charing Cross police station used technologies including the CCTV network, financial instrument analysis and DNA matching to identify and convict the offender.

“Women and girls in London are safer for our hard work and tenacity.”

He added: “In my view, Wright’s offending may have escalated quickly and alarmingly had he not been caught so soon after the offence in St James’s Park.

“I am appealing for anyone else who may have been a victim of Wright to contact me by calling 101 with the reference 6502934/21.”

A Met Police spokesperson said: “At around 23:30hrs on 29 January 2021, Christion Wright, 28, of Southwark, followed and sexually assaulted a woman who was walking in St James’s Park.

“He dragged her to the ground while masturbating and stated his intention to have sex with her. The woman bit his hand and he made off on a Santander hire bike.

“Detectives based at Charing Cross police station launched an investigation and meticulous analysis of CCTV between St James’s Park and Southwark enabled officers to track Wright as he cycled away from the attack.

“He was eventually seen on CCTV to dock the bike in Lower Marsh, SE1.

“Subsequent enquiries and analysis enabled detectives to link the hire bike used to Wright. He was arrested on 5 March 2021 and charged with the offence in St James’s Park.

“DNA was taken while Wright was in custody. This was matched with an outstanding suspect for an offence on 2 February 2021 on a South Eastern train from London Waterloo, when it was reported to British Transport Police that a man had masturbated onto the bag of a female passenger. Wright was also charged with sexual assault for this offence.

“Christion Wright, 28, (24.11.93) of Nelson Square, SE1 pleaded guilty to both sexual assaults at Southwark Crown Court on 20 December 2021.

“He was sentenced on 14 January 2022 to three years and eight months’ imprisonment. He will also be placed on the sex offenders register for life.”

 

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