Gorilla mask rapist who terrorised West Midlands students is jailed for 21 YEARS

Elvis Sidaway preyed on six lone young women who were making their way home in the early hours of the morning after work or nights out.

The registered sex offender would often wear a gorilla or Yoda mask, with victims grabbed and threatened, sometimes with a knife.

Police stepped up patrols and warned young women not to walk home alone. Police say he struck in the Selly Oak, Edgbaston and Quinton areas, with a number of the victims being students at the University of Birmingham.

He was eventually caught after his blue Peugeot 207 was spotted on Dartmouth Road, Selly Oak, early on February 4 this year.

Checks led detectives to Sidaway, and when his vehicle was spotted in the same area at the same time the next day, he was arrested.

Police found condoms in his car and a black firelighter. At his address, they found a craft knife and black gloves.

Sidaway, 53, of Fountain Road, Edgbaston, went on to admit five counts of sexual assault by touching. He was also convicted of rape and three counts of possession of a knife this week and jailed at Birmingham Crown Court today.

The paint mixer will stay on the sex offender register for life for his crimes, which happened between November 20 last year and January 29 this year.

Det Sgt Laura Harrison, from the force’s Public Protection Unit, said: "I am pleased with the sentencing today. Sidaway caused a whole community to question their safety. I hope this will reassure his victims and the wider student population that a dangerous man is no longer a threat to them.

"We worked in close partnership with the university and the local authority to ensure everyone was aware of the attacks and what we were doing to catch the offender, whilst making sure safety messages were being shared.

"We have since set up a stronger network of information sharing so that we can understand how best to communicate with the student population and work with them to keep them safe."

A spokesperson for The University of Birmingham said: “The University of Birmingham would like to thank West Midlands Police for its work in this case. The University works very closely with West Midlands Police to keep our staff and students safe both on and off campus.

“Student and staff safety is of paramount importance to the University and we regularly review our wide range of safety measures and initiatives in consultation with the Police and other authorities.”