Attempted rape in Canary Wharf: Syed Imam jailed for six years after security guards intervene

Syed Imam, 30, was convicted of attempted rape after security guards rescued a vulnerable woman in a Canary Wharf underpass. He was sentenced to six years.

Canary Wharf sex attacker jailed after denying arrest was possible

A London man who told police officers they could not be arresting him has been sentenced to six years in prison for attempted rape, the Daily Express reports. Syed Imam, 30, from Beddington in south London, was detained by security guards in an underpass near a train station in Canary Wharf shortly before 2am on 14 March.

Body-worn camera footage captured the moment officers arrested Imam in the east London financial district. On being told he was under arrest, he told officers: "I can't be... I've not been seen... That's a lie."

Security staff had been monitoring Imam after noticing him behaving suspiciously. They intervened when they witnessed him assaulting a woman described by the Metropolitan Police as "vulnerable", and held him until officers arrived on the scene.

Scotland Yard said the victim has no memory of the incident. Despite that, CCTV evidence and what police described as a "fast-paced" investigation resulted in Imam being charged within 24 hours of his arrest.

He was found guilty of attempted rape on 2 July at the conclusion of a four-day trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court, and sentenced on 3 September.

Detective Constable Madeleine Powell of the Met Police said the case illustrated the role the public and private security professionals play in protecting women. "If security staff at Canary Wharf had not bravely intervened, this violent offender could still be walking our streets, and the victim may have suffered even more harm than she already has," Powell said.

Powell urged members of the public to report suspicious behaviour. "You will be listened to and we will take action," she added.

The Met said specialist officers supported the victim throughout the investigation, the trial, and her recovery. The force also noted that arrests and charges for violence against women and girls offences have risen by 71%.

Source: Daily Express