A man convicted of multiple rape offences after two separate attacks on women in Greenwich has been sentenced to 17 years in jail.

Alan Green, of Thanington Court, SE9, has been described as a "dangerous offender" and an "opportunistic monster," and Detective Constable Andrew Sumpter said police were pleased he will now be behind bars for a significant period of time.

The 39-year-old, was found guilty at Woolwich Crown Court on Monday, 25 November 2019 of one count of digital penetration and one count of attempted rape in relation to an incident in Blackheath in March 2019.

He was also found guilty of three counts of rape and two counts of digital penetration in relation to an incident in Tunnel Avenue in June, and on Monday, 13 January, he was sentenced to 17 years in jail, with an extended licence period of four years.

The court heard that the first incident took place on Blackheath Common at around 4:30amon Saturday, March 9, 2019 as a woman in her 50s was on her way home from work.

She saw a man sitting on a bench with a bike resting next to him, but was not immediately alarmed.

However as she got closer to him, the man got up and started walking towards her with the bike.

The suspect then approached the victim and pushed her to the ground, where he attempted to rape her.

He fled the scene on his bicycle, and the victim, "terrified and traumatised," made her may to work and alerted colleagues who informed police.

Then around 2am on June 2, 2019, a woman in her 20s was talking on her phone to a friend as she approached a footbridge near Tunnel Avenue, SE10.

She became aware of a man who passed her before turning back on himself, alarming her.

The man then grabbed the victim, who tried to fight him off but was pulled into a bush.

There she was raped three times, before the suspect fled the scene on a bicycle.

A police investigation was launched, and officers were able to identify Green as the person responsible through forensic evidence.

He was arrested at his home on June 19, answering no comment during interview, and was sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court today, January 13, 2020.

Detective Constable Sumpter commented: "Green is clearly a dangerous offender and we are pleased he will now be behind bars for a significant period of time.

“The two women subject to his attacks will never be able to forget what happened to them last year and we want to commend their bravery in supporting this lengthy investigation.”