Joseph McCann
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Joseph McCann is a traveller from the United Kingdom and the recipient of one of the countries' first Anti-Social Behaviour Orders notorious for his 2019 conviction for 37 counts of rape. McCann's case is extremely controversial, as the National Probation Service were found to have been indirectly responsible for McCann's crimes by an inquiry, which ruled they had not followed the correct procedures relating to McCann's release from prison following his previous criminal conviction, resulting in McCann being able to carry out his attacks, and that their failure to revoke McCann's probation or consider historical intelligence about the risk McCann could pose if released constituted misconduct.
Biography edit
Criminal History edit
McCann's first criminal conviction was for theft when he was 13, and convictions for criminal damage, possession of a knife, vandalism, handling stolen goods and Arson followed. After a number of complaints, McCann's family was evicted by the local council. However, McCann and his brothers continued their campaign of criminal behaviour, and were given one of the first ASBOs in British history. They appealed to the British High Court, but the appeal was rejected.
On 27 December 2007, McCann burgled an elderly man's home and threatened to stab him, escaping with a purse. He was identified via CCTV and arrested, receiving an indefinite prison sentence due to his extensive criminal history. In 2009, McCann's offender handler intercepted letters suggesting that McCann could pose a threat of sexual harm to young girls and women if released. Despite this discovery, McCann was released on licence in 2019.
Sex Crimes edit
On 21 April 2019, McCann abducted a 21-year-old woman in Watford and raped her at knifepoint before releasing her the following day. When she reported the rape, the police identified McCann from the police database, but were unable to trace him. On 25 April, he attacked another woman and dragged her into his car before raping her and leaving her in the car while he attacked another woman and abducted her too. He raped both of the women before attempting to book them into a hotel for the night so that he could rape them again, but one of the women hit him with a glass bottle, allowing both to escape. After many more attacks, a £20, 000 reward was offered for information that lead to McCann's arrest.
On 5 May, he met a woman at a bar in Greater Manchester and convinced her to allow him into her home; there, he tied her up and raped her 17-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son at around 8am. The daughter managed to flee the house, jumping from a first-floor window, and alerted neighbours. As McCann fled, the son untied his mother. At 1.30pm, McCann (in his car) abducted a 71-year-old woman outside a supermarket and subsequently raped her; while still holding her, he abducted and sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl. They escaped at Knutsford Services that evening. McCann then drove to Congleton in Cheshire, where, on the same day at 6.30pm, he abducted two 14-year-old girls and threatened to kill them. He was spotted by police, who gave chase; in the pursuit, McCann crashed his car and fled on foot, leaving the girls unharmed. He caught a taxi, but the police noticed him at a road block near Congleton. He fled from the vehicle on foot; police caught up with him and he was discovered hiding up a tree down a country lane and arrested at around 3am on 6 May.
Conviction edit
McCann was charged with 37 sexual offences at the Old Bailey in London. On 6 December, he was found guilty on all counts and received 33 life sentences.
See also edit
- Reynhard Sinaga, Britain's worst serial rapist responsible for at least 190 rapes, who was convicted at around the same time.