A predator who hounded a 13-year-old girl in the street before he attacked her in an alley has been jailed for seven years.
Sorosh Amini, 21, approached the victim in broad daylight on North End Road in Croydon, in August last year, persistently tried to engage her in conversation and would not leave her alone.
He then followed her down North End Road and into an alleyway, before he forcibly kissed her and tried to put a cannabis joint into her mouth, a court heard.
He told her that he was friends with someone who recently stabbed a man and the young girl terrified he was armed with a knife. He then proceeded to rape her.
The victim reported the assault to police and received safeguarding and support from specialist officers.
