A 31-year-old who raped and robbed three female escorts over two days will spend at least eight years behind bars.

Christopher Shepherd of Wilverley Crescent, New Malden, was found guilty by a jury at Isleworth Crown Court on July 21, of three rapes, three robberies, two sexual assaults and an attempted robbery.

He was given an indeterminate prison term, with a minimum of eight years, when he appeared for sentencing on Friday, September 16.

During a three-week trial the court heard how, on April 4 last year, Shepherd pre- arranged to meet two escorts in Chelsea on January 7 and 8, 2011.

During these appointments Shepherd, who presented himself as a client under the false name Philip, attacked three women in their 20s.

The court heard he pulled out a knife, then threatened and demanded valuables from the women before raping and sexually assaulting them at knifepoint.

During the last attack a woman was able to fight him off and ran away into the street where passersby raised the alarm.

Following an investigation by the Metropolitan Police’s Sapphire unit, Shepherd was arrested at an address in Worcester Road, Sutton, on January 14, on suspicion of rape and robbery.

He was charged with three counts of rape, robbery, and two counts of sexual assault and possessing a bladed weapon on January 25 and was remanded in custody.

A previous and separate charge of attempted robbery on a female escort in Westminster, which happened in April last year, was added to the other offences.

Detective Inspector James Harman of the Serious Crime Directorate said: “Christopher Shepherd targeted women working in the sex trade. He was not content with just robbing the girls, he raped and assaulted them.

“He appeared to think his victims would not report him to police, nor that they would be believed.”