UK’s new “The Ripper” Arrested after hero hears screams from Torture Chamber

March 18th, 2015

Peter Nolan

‘The Ripper’: Duwayne Henry, pictured, was jailed for life at Blackfriars Crown Court yesterday.

A serial rapist who called himself ‘the Ripper’ was caught after he attacked a woman in a home-made ‘torture chamber’.

Duwayne Henry selected his victims using an online escort agency and lured them to his flat in Hackney, east London, where they were threatened with knives and repeatedly raped.

Police found a knives, a circular saw and a hedge trimmer laid out on the floor of his bedroom when they searched his home.

Officers believe he intended to use these weapons on his final victim, but was interrupted by a passer-by who heard her screams.

The mystery hero has never been identified.

Henry was jailed for life with a minimum sentence of 12 and a half years at Blackfriars Crown Court yesterday.

The 34-year-old targeted at least three prostitutes during his 14-month spree, believing their trade meant they were less likely to report his crimes, police said.

In the first known assault, which took place in early 2013, Henry repeatedly raped his victim in a brutal three-hour attack before taking a photo of the woman’s driving licence.

He told her he would use the details to find her and kill her if she went to the police.

In the second known attack, in April 2013, Henry gagged the victim with duct-tape before and raped her at knife-point. He then forced her to wash his bedsheets before raping her again on the floor.

His final attack took place in February 2014, when Henry booked an escort to meet him outside the flats where he lived.

He held a knife to his victim’s eye and led her to his bedroom, described as a ‘torture chamber’, where he had laid out a circular saw, seven knives and a hedge trimmer.

One of these items was plugged into the mains.

As soon as she entered the room, Henry put a knife to the woman’s face, near her eye. He pushed her over and told her she was going to die. The woman was gagged, tied up, and raped.

The rapist was interrupted when a man, alerted by the woman’s screams, appeared in the doorway of Henry’s bedroom. He untied the woman, who phoned the police.

‘Torture chamber’: Henry selected his victims using an online escort agency before luring them to his flat in Hackney, east London, pictured. There, the women were threatened, tied up and repeatedly raped.

The victim later told officers that Henry threatened her and said: ‘I’m invisible, I’m the Ripper’.

Officers from the Metropolitan Police found one victim’s phone in his flat and managed to track down a second victim.

The mystery ‘good Samaritan’ has never been identified, despite a police appeal last year.

Detective Inspector Tony Lynes said: ‘Henry’s attacks were thoroughly planned.

‘He controlled the environment where the attacks took place, avoiding the risk of being disturbed.

‘Luckily he did not take into account the courage of his victims or the tenacity of the detectives investigating this case and I am pleased that today he can look forward to a substantial prison sentence.

‘The crimes Henry has been convicted of today are appalling but I can’t be certain that there aren’t more victims out there.’

On sentencing, the Judge John Hillen said: ‘You are a serial rapist. The terror you instilled in your victims, by use of weapons and words used and restraints do not bear imagining.

‘Your crimes are at the highest end of wickedness and are disturbing for the public.

‘You present a danger to women and present a significant risk of serious harm to the public.’

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