A man dubbed the ‘Rush hour prowler’ after sexually assaulting a string of girls and women during their daily commutes – including an eleven-year-old on her way home from school in Herne Hill – has been jailed for six years.
Businessman Kevin Bond preyed on girls as young as eight in the attacks which mainly took place during the morning and evening rush hours and which spanned four boroughs, including Southwark, Greenwich, Bromley, and Lewisham, over the course of a year.
In Southwark, the 51 year old, from Chislehurst, targeted an eleven-year-old girl in Half Moon Lane, Herne Hill, at 5.20pm on September 18, 2017.
He also attacked a nineteen-year-old woman at 5.20pm on July 27, 2017, in Falmouth Road, Borough.
Bond, who has two grown up children and grandchildren, continued on to his job at South Bank University after a number of his morning assaults in leafy, suburban streets – attacks which left his victims distressed and terrified after he accosted them on their way to and from school or work.
Prosecutors said there was a use of violence in the offences and a “degree of planning as they were committed at specific times of day”.
Bond was finally caught in January this year through forensics and after being identified from CCTV footage showing him fleeing the scene of one of his attacks.
He was originally arrested on suspicion of 26 attacks, but finally was charged and pleaded guilty to fourteen sexual assaults between October 2016 and November 2017.
The former nightclub owner’s first attack was committed on a girl aged thirteen in Orpington on October 6, 2016.
His youngest victim, aged eight, was attacked in Vulcan Terrace, Lewisham, while on her way to school between 8.20am and 8.50am on November 13, 2017.
He also sexually assaulted five different thirteen-year-old girls in Lewisham, Orpington, Blackheath and Lee.
Bond attacked an eleven-year-old girl in Lee on September 28, 2017, during the morning rush hour, then a thirteen-year-old in Greenwich during the evening rush hour.
He also struck three times in just 25 minutes in Blackheath on October 5, 2017, groping a thirteen-year-old girl then attacking two women in their twenties.
Police believe it is possible there are further victims who have not yet come forward – and urge them to come get in contact.
Bond was sentenced to six years behind bars at Woolwich Crown Court on Monday, July 23.
Temporary Detective Superintendent Andrew Furphy, who led the investigation, said: “These offences have been utterly traumatic for the victims, all of whom have been young females going about their daily lives, to and from school and their workplaces when Bond appeared and attacked them in broad daylight.
“I would like to pay tribute to their bravery in assisting us with this long-running investigation, as well as the public who provided us with information after the appeals were issued.
“I’d like to thank the Crown Prosecution Service for their commitment to building a robust and complex prosecution case and I’d like to thank my officers who worked tirelessly and relentlessly to apprehend Bond, a dangerous sexual predator.
“The streets of south London are a far safer place now he is locked up.”
London South Bank University, where Bond worked, said in a statement: “He was a non-teaching member of staff.
“All necessary checks were carried out at the time of his recruitment and we did not receive any complaints against him while he worked here.
“His employment was terminated in March 2018. At no point have we been made aware that any incidents took place on our properties or involved any of our staff or students.
“We have co-operated fully with the police investigation.
“It would be inappropriate to comment further and ask that all enquiries are directed to the Metropolitan Police.”
Anyone with information can contact Lewisham police by calling 101 or 0208 284 8346.
Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.