Stoke Newington rapist who attacked victim with a hammer is jailed for 13 years

A violent rapist from Stoke Newington who attacked his victim with a hammer before sexually assaulting her has today been jailed for 13 years.

Ryan Bruce, 26, carried out the horrific attack at his grandmother's empty home in Haggerston in March. He had met his victim, in her 30s, online and invited her over.

When she got there he led her upstairs and as she took her shoes off he hit her several times over the head with the hammer, cutting her head open.

Thinking she was being robbed, she offered Bruce money, but he instead made her take off her clothes and raped her twice.

The assault was interrupted by Bruce's cousin who let herself into the house to collect their grandmother's post.

She heard the victim crying, and Bruce shouted at her to get out of the house. She did so and called her parents, who arrived minutes later. They found Bruce on the landing brandishing the hammer. They wrestled the hammer off him and called police, who found him with the victim's phone.

Bruce pleaded guilty to two counts of rape and was jailed for 13 years with four years' extended licence.

Det Con Michael Dixon, of Central East Command Unit, said: "This was a horrific attack and I am happy that Ryan Bruce has today been sentenced to a lengthy prison sentence. London is a safer place with him behind bars."

Prosecutor Mubeena Cockar-Khan said after the sentencing: "This was an act of extreme sexual violence. Having seriously assaulted the victim Bruce then lied about the phone claiming it was his own.

"This sentence sees a dangerous individual, who has previous convictions of assault, removed from our streets. The family's role in stopping Bruce and the victim's bravery in helping this prosecution should be acknowledged. I hope this conviction can help her in moving on from this horrific experience."