News, views and top stories in your inbox. Don't miss our must-read newsletter Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

A teenage paedophile was jailed for life today for raping an 11-year-old girl while on probation.

Opemipo Jaji was 18 when he stalked his victim as she walked home before repeatedly raping her in a park.

At the time of the attack Jaji was not on the sex offenders register despite having convictions for a similar attack on another schoolgirl and possessing child abuse images.

He has since admitted that he had been planning to rape a young girl for two months before the attack.

Despite his young age he had developed a violent obsession with young girls in school uniform.

Moments after leaving the probation office Jaji spotted the victim and subjected her to a shocking three-hour ordeal.

Sentencing Mr Justice Singh said: “I had the opportunity to observe you when you gave evidence at your trial.

"It is clear to me that you are well capable of lying and of manipulating others around you to suit your own interests.”

Jaji was “an intelligent young man who had potential”.

But the judge added: “It is also clear that you have an unhealthy interest in little girls.”

(Image: Metropolitan Police)

He had told both a probation officer and a psychiatrist that he “had been planning to rape a girl for about two months before the offence, although the offence itself was committed on impulse”.

It was not disputed by Jaji’s counsel that he was dangerous, the judge added.

He was not on the sex offenders register at the time of the attack despite having convictions for a similar attack on another schoolgirl and making indecent images of children.

Jaji was sentenced to a 10-month detention after he pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl in 2011.

He was given a community sentence in September 2012 after pleading guilty to having indecent images of children.

The Ministry of Justice have launched two reviews to address whether Jaji should have been officially registered as a sex offender.

If he had been, police would have been able to conduct home visits - they may have discovered earlier the material in his bedroom suggesting he had a sexual interest in pre-pubescent girls.

Offenders aged under 18 are not usually placed on the register if they receive less than a year in custody.

At his Edmonton home police found child abuse images on his computer and a book open on his bed about bed about a little girl abused and made pregnant at the age of 10.

He had also stuck a note on a picture of a seven-year-old girl about contacting her on Facebook and he had a newspaper article about the disappearance of five-year-old April Jones.

Mr Justice Singh said he must serve a minimum of eight years but that he would never be released unless the parole board considered he no longer posed a threat to the public.

“You are well capable of lying and manipulating others around you to suit your own needs,” he added.

“It seems very likely that the offence would have been repeated again if you had not been caught. You can only be considered to pose a high risk of future offending.”

On his eventual release he will also have to sign the sex offenders register.

The judge also praised the courage of the young victim who came to court to give evidence against Jaji.

But she has been left with “terrible emotional scars”, the court heard.

Jaji, an apprentice chef, was trapped by one billion to one DNA on his bag and clothing after the rape in Jubilee Park, Edmonton.

Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now

Detective Chief Inspector Adam Lowe, who led the investigation, said: “Jaji posed a great danger to young girls and despite the great weight of evidence against him, refused to accept his guilt and forced the victim to give evidence in court.

“This was a particularly brutal but unusual attack on an innocent 11-year-old schoolgirl who will no doubt continue to suffer the emotional scars of what happened to her for a very long time.

"I would like to take this opportunity to praise the bravery of the victim and her family.”

Mr Lowe also told reporters at the court: “His offending escalation and lack of victim empathy is a clear indication of his dangerousness.”