Claire Harden-Frost secures conviction of offender in armed robbery and sexual assault trial

Nicussor Ion was convicted of attempted knife point robbery and attempted sexual assault on 9 August 2015 and attempted robbery and attempted sexual assault on 12 August 2015 at Isleworth crown court on 28 January 2016.  Claire Harden-Frost prosecuted.

Ion is a Romanian national who had been in the UK for less than a month before the attacks.  He had 3 previous convictions for robbery in Romania.  He lived near the Target Roundabout in London where he attacked the first victim at around 7pm on 9 August 2015.  He grabbed his victim, dragged her behind some trees near the underpass so they were hidden from view.  He held the knife to her throat and pushed up her dress.  The victim offered Ion her purse in an attempted to escape but he wanted money which she didn’t have.  He was disturbed by a passer-by and ran off.

Three days later he targeted the second victim in the same place.  He let the victim overtake him then jumped on her back knocking her to the floor.  He dragged her into the trees despite her attempts to resist but was disturbed by a passer-by and ran off.

He was detained later that day just up the road from the attack site and was found to have a knife in his jacket pocket.

The judge has adjourned sentencing until 23 March 2016 to consider whether a life sentence is appropriate in this case.  The defendant was remanded in custody.