News / International
Zim man (20) faces UK jail for random knife attacks on women
21 Feb 2013 at 04:50hrs | Views
A Zimbabwean man faces jail in the United Kingdom after random knife attacks on two women in London.
Sasha Masamba of Nicholes Road, Hounslow was charged on Friday, 24 August, with two counts of attempted murder.
Masamba brought terror to suburban streets in west London last August after two women were attacked at night in separate incidents and had their faces and necks slashed.
Scotland Yard issued graphic images of his two victims which revealed the extent of the terrifying attacks.
It is alleged that on August 7 last year, Masamba approached 19-year-old Kaja Zablocka from behind, slashed her across the neck before laughing and running off.
Ten days later, he tried a similar assault on 26-year-old Deserilyn Aurelio. He cut her face with a knife before the victim kicked him forcing him to flee.
He was arrested at Hounslow train station on August 21 by a police officer who recognised him from CCTV pictures.
Masamba was charged with two counts of attempted murder, but at the Old Bailey on Monday, he pleaded guilty to two counts of a lesser charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
The prosecution accepted the pleas after consultation with the victims.
Masamba will be sentenced on April 9 after a psychiatric report is prepared.
Det Chief Inspector Amanda Hargreaves, of the Homicide & Serious Crime Command, said he has no doubt that he would have continued to pose a serious threat to women had he not been caught.
"Masamba was not previously known to police, but he was caught through the hard work of detectives, the availability of CCTV footage and the diligence of the additional officers on patrol in Hounslow."
Sasha Masamba of Nicholes Road, Hounslow was charged on Friday, 24 August, with two counts of attempted murder.
Masamba brought terror to suburban streets in west London last August after two women were attacked at night in separate incidents and had their faces and necks slashed.
Scotland Yard issued graphic images of his two victims which revealed the extent of the terrifying attacks.
It is alleged that on August 7 last year, Masamba approached 19-year-old Kaja Zablocka from behind, slashed her across the neck before laughing and running off.
Ten days later, he tried a similar assault on 26-year-old Deserilyn Aurelio. He cut her face with a knife before the victim kicked him forcing him to flee.
He was arrested at Hounslow train station on August 21 by a police officer who recognised him from CCTV pictures.
Masamba was charged with two counts of attempted murder, but at the Old Bailey on Monday, he pleaded guilty to two counts of a lesser charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
The prosecution accepted the pleas after consultation with the victims.
Masamba will be sentenced on April 9 after a psychiatric report is prepared.
Det Chief Inspector Amanda Hargreaves, of the Homicide & Serious Crime Command, said he has no doubt that he would have continued to pose a serious threat to women had he not been caught.
"Masamba was not previously known to police, but he was caught through the hard work of detectives, the availability of CCTV footage and the diligence of the additional officers on patrol in Hounslow."
Source - content.met.police.uk
