A 22-year-old has pleaded guilty to raping a woman on Tooting Bec Common.

Timothy Foster, 22, formerly of Tooting, raped the woman in a secluded area of the common in broad daylight on September 16, 2008.

At Kingston Crown Court on Wednesday, November 4, he was sentenced to five years - of which he will have to serve a minimum of two and half years in custody and two and a half years on licence.

Foster, who is already serving a prison sentence for an unrelated matter, will also be placed on the sex offenders register for life.

The victim reported the incident to the police immediately, ensuring vital DNA evidence was found allowing the suspect to be identified.

Trainee detective constable, Aaron Guiney, of Wandsworth police said: “The victim must be commended on her determination to assist police with their investigation and bring this male before the courts and ultimately to justice.”

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Cranwell of Wandsworth police said the prosecution was a good result for the borough’s sapphire sex crimes team.

He said: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank the victim in this investigation who has displayed moral courage during this serious offence.

"It was down to the victims strength that we have been able to convict Foster and remove this offender from the streets of Wandsworth.”

Personal safety charity the Suzy Lamplugh Trust offers the following advice for women on how to avoid attacks:

• Think about places where you could ask for help - neighbours’ houses, shops, a police station or a petrol station.

• Think about where the danger spots may be along your route and how you could avoid them.

• Don’t limit your ability to see or hear trouble by wearing hoods, listening to music through earphones or talking on your mobile phone.

• Let someone at home know you are on your way home and what time to expect you. Always phone or text from a safe place and not from the middle of the street.

• Have your keys ready when you approach your home so that you can enter quickly.

• Remain alert, until you are safely inside - If you feel at all threatened by someone, take evasive action. Move away, cross the road and towards somewhere where there are other people.

• Consider carrying a personal shriek alarm. Carrying an alarm can give you extra confidence and you can use it to shock and disorientate attackers giving you time to get away.

For more advice visit suzylamplugh.org.

To report a rape or sexual assault, contact Wandsworth’s sapphire unit on 020 8721 3572/3639. In an emergency dial 999.