A man who posed as a bogus police officer to attack girls in north London has been jailed for life.

Apedelrazek Badran was described by police as "one of the most dangerous offenders" they had ever prosecuted.

The 33-year-old targeted his young victims in Edmonton. On one occasion he pretended to be a security guard telling a 12-year-old girl she fitted the description of a shoplifter and he needed to search her. Badran then attacked her claiming he had a knife.

In a separate incident an hour earlier he claimed to be a police officer, told a girl he was there to arrest her and tried to take her to a van that was parked nearby. When she refused he grabbed her by the wrists but she was able to escape.