DAN AKINODE FROM CHADWELL HEATH JAILED FOR SEXUAL PREDATION IN ILFORD

In March 2010, a man named Dan Akinode, residing in Chadwell Heath, was sentenced to prison after being found guilty of sexually assaulting two young girls in Ilford, Essex. The incident, which took place in a public area near the Cineworld cinema, involved Akinode targeting two sisters aged 10 and 14 who were waiting in line to watch the debut of Hannah Montana: The Movie.

According to reports, Akinode, aged 27 at the time, approached the girls while they were sitting on a bench. He was observed drinking cans of Stella Artois as he engaged with them. During this encounter, he made inappropriate comments, telling the girls they were 'sexy,' and proceeded to touch their faces in a manner that caused them significant distress. The girls, frightened and overwhelmed, managed to contact emergency services by dialing 999. Akinode was subsequently arrested while attempting to flee the scene on a number 369 bus.

The prosecution revealed that Akinode's predatory behavior did not end with the initial incident. Witnesses later saw him bothering other teenage girls and young women in the vicinity of Ilford town center. One witness described how he was walking with his arms outstretched, attempting to hug another woman, and was seen grabbing and hugging two teenage girls who were passing by. The young sister involved in the initial assault recounted feeling 'shaking in fear' after the incident and expressed her fear of returning to Ilford, fearing an encounter with Akinode again.

During the five-day trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court, a jury deliberated for three hours and forty minutes before convicting Akinode of two counts of sexual assault. The court heard that Akinode, who was studying construction at Havering College in Ardleigh Green near Hornchurch, Essex, had a history of convictions related to drugs, harassment, and witness intimidation. Following his conviction, he was expelled from college.

Judge Jacqueline Beech sentenced Akinode to eight months in prison and ordered him to sign the sex offenders' register for ten years. In her remarks, the judge condemned his behavior, stating, 'You behaved like a sexual predator on the day in question.' She also criticized Akinode for his inappropriate comments, emphasizing that there was nothing more unsuitable than calling a 10-year-old girl 'sexy.'

Victim impact statements from the girls' parents highlighted the profound emotional toll the assault had taken on their daughters. The 14-year-old girl’s statement revealed a decline in her mental health, with her becoming reclusive and fearful of leaving her home unless accompanied by her mother. The judge noted that the younger girl, aged 10, was so traumatized that she refused to return to Ilford, fearing an encounter with her attacker. The court's findings underscored the lasting impact of Akinode’s actions on the victims' lives.