Joseph McCann: Suspected serial rapist could be hiding with loved one, police say

‘Our enquiries strongly indicate that McCann is being hidden by someone who knows him’

Suspected rapist Joseph McCann is possibly being hidden by a friend or a loved one, police officers have said.

The 34-year-old is accused of abducting two women off the streets of London within the space of 12 hours.

He is also wanted in connection with a third case of rape and abduction in Watford on 21 April.

“Our enquiries strongly indicate that McCann is being hidden by someone who knows him,” DCI Katherine Goodwin, of the Metropolitan Police, said.

“Whatever your reason, if you are loyal to him, or fearful of him, please call us or share any information 100% anonymously via Crimestoppers.”

Detectives said the 34-year-old was “extremely dangerous” and offered a £20,000 reward for information leading to his arrest and prosecution.

Hertfordshire Police had been hunting McCann over the rape of a 21-year-old woman in the early hours of 21 April, when he was reported to have committed two more attacks.

His second victim was abducted from a street in Chingford on 25 April and a third woman was raped after being snatched in Edgeware around noon.

The second and third women were raped in a silver or grey-coloured Ford S-Max people carrier with false registration plates.

They were driven to a hotel in Watford, where the suspect tried to book a room at 1pm, and they escaped after a struggle at 2.30pm.

Ms Goodwin said it was vital that the suspect was apprehended.

“Please consider if your mother, sister, daughter, niece or friend had experienced such an awful attack and put yourselves in their or their family’s shoes,” she said.

“McCann is a violent individual who is a risk to women and poses a threat to children.”

Officers urged members of the public not to approach McCann. They are instead asked to call 999.

McCann was released from prison in February 2019, halfway through a three-year sentence for burglary and theft.

On Wednesday the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) said it had launched an inquiry into whether he had in fact been freed from jail by mistake.

He should have been referred to the Parole Board before his release but was not, the MoJ confirmed.

A spokesman said: “We have commissioned an urgent review into what happened in this case.”

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Anyone with information is asked to call the incident room on 020 8785 8244 or 999 quoting CAD 3041/25Apr. To remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

If you have been affected by sexual violence, you can find help via the NHS. Rape Crisis offers specialist support for women and girls; and The Survivors Trust supports people of any gender