Woolwich Crown Court, on Monday found Danut Bulboana, 21, guilty of brutally attacking and raping a young woman in a wooded area near Catford Bridge Railway Station, Lewisham on August 27, 2019 at approximately 11.30pm.
After a night out with a friend, the victim who is in her late 20s, lost her way when she was dropped at the wrong destination by a taxi.
She suddenly found herself in an unfamiliar wooded area with an unknown male - later identified as Bulboana.
He then attacked and raped her, while stifling her cries by forcing something into her mouth, choking her.
The woman eventually managed to get away from Bulboana and call 999. Police attended and spoke to the victim who then assisted the officers in trying to locate the where the offence took place.
They were able to trace Bulboana’s location and, despite altering his appearance by changing his clothing, the woman was able to provide a positive identification and Bulboana was arrested.
Officers from the Met’s South East Safeguarding Team launched an immediate investigation and were able to charge Bulboana on October 25, 2019, after forensic examinations linked him to the crime.
According to lead investigator Detective Constable Dean Young, “This was a brutal and extremely sinister attack in which Bulboana preyed on the vulnerability of a lone woman at night. I would like to commend the sheer bravery displayed by the victim who quickly called police after being subjected to a truly horrific ordeal. Her actions resulted in a dangerous man being detained by officers within an hour of the attack, and subsequently being brought to justice.
"Bulboana is now in custody awaiting sentence for his abhorrent crimes. Sexual offences often inflict lasting trauma on victims, but I hope that Bulboana’s conviction will help the victim’s recovery process.
“This case demonstrates our commitment to removing sexual predators from the streets of London and ensuring they are brought to justice. If you are a victim of sexual crime, please tell us - you will be supported and the crime fully investigated."
Bulboana will be sentenced on Tuesday, September 8 at Woolwich Crown Court.