A rapist who preyed on two lone women making their way home after a night out in Leicester Square has today been locked up for 10 years.

Papis Cante, 36, of Queen’s Drive, Finsbury Park, attacked his first victim, a 22-year-old woman, off Seven Sisters Road in the early hours of July 22. She had agreed to share a taxi from Leicester Square believing they were going the same way to south London.

When she realised where she was she got out and said she needed to book another cab but Cante led her to an alleyway and attacked her. Afterwards she locked herself in the toilet of a kebab shop and police were called.

Then in the early hours of August 29 Cante struck again. He pulled his second victim off of a Victoria line train at Finsbury Park and dragged her out of the station before attacking her in a nearby street.

Neither of the victims had known Cante prior to the nights in question. CCTV and DNA evidence both identified him as the attacker. He pleaded guilty to two counts of rape at Wood Green Crown Court in October and was sentenced at the same court today.

Crown Prosecution Service lawyer Ruth Bowskill said: “Cante deliberately targeted lone women who had been making their way home from nights out.

“When presented with the strength of the DNA evidence against him, Cante admitted his crimes. This dangerous individual will now serve a significant amount of time in prison where he will no longer be a threat to women.

“We hope this successful prosecution provides the victims with some small measure of closure.”