'Disturbed' sexual predator who attacked five women in weekend rampage jailed for eight years
Dorian Bell targeted women and teenaged girls, using a knife on his final victim
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A "dangerous and disturbed" man who sexually assaulted five women in a single weekend, subjecting his final victim to a "horrific" knife-point attack, has been jailed for eight years.
Dorian Bell, 32, of Southwark, carried out the attacks on the weekend of 18 and 19 March this year, targeting women and teenaged girls in south London – one of whom was walking with her father when she was assaulted.
His first victim was young woman he attempted to engage in conversation as she walked home in Southwark at about 4am on 18 March, before sexually assaulting her. Bell ran off when he was disturbed by residents alerted by her screams.
Less than an hour later, at 4.50am, on New Kent Road, Walworth, Bell assaulted a woman as she walked home with a companion, putting his hands up her dress. He ran away when she fought back.
Bell struck again the next day in Beckway Street, Walworth, targeting a teenaged girl on her way to the shops at about 4.45pm. Without warning he grabbed her and shoved his left hand under her top before groping her.
Less than an hour later at 5.25pm in Walworth, Bell assaulted another teenager as she was walking with her father, grabbing her right buttock and squeezing it for 5 to 10 seconds, the Metropolitan Police said.
Later that night at 11.40pm, Bell grabbed a woman as she walked down John Ruskin Street in Southwark, dragging her into an alleyway and punching her in the face, before producing a knife and telling her he would rape her.
Two passers-by were alerted by the victim’s screams and Bell again ran away.
The victim immediately called the police and officers on their way to her spotted Bell in a nearby street, apprehending him after a short chase. He then pulled out the knife in his possession and attempted to cut his wrists and neck with it, before he was eventually arrested.
Detectives said they were able to quickly link the attacks by the descriptions given by the victims and other evidence.
At Inner London Crown Court, Bell was sentenced to eight years imprisonment plus a further five years on licence, and placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely.
DC Robert Jamieson of the Met’s Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Command, welcomed the sentence and paid tribute to the courage of the victims.
“Dorian Bell is an extremely dangerous and disturbed sexual predator who has complete disregard for his victims and the impact his actions have had on their lives.
“He sexually assaulted five females in a series of attacks over one weekend, one of whom was subjected to a horrific knife-point attack.
“I would like thank the victims and acknowledge their courage throughout this investigation. Due to the overwhelming forensic and CCTV evidence, Bell had no option other than to plead guilty.”
He added: “The sentence handed to Bell reflects the gravity of the offences and the effect that his actions have had on the victims since the attacks.”
The Met declined to release an image of Bell.