Killer jailed indefinitely for raping student at knifepoint

A convicted killer who raped a student in a multi-storey car park after threatening to stab her has been jailed indefinitely.

David Estephane, 47, is also suspected of carrying out two other rapes since his release from a nine year jail sentence for manslaughter.

He was convicted of stabbing Stephen Gaspard to death, decapitating the body and burning the remains in 1983.

Estephane was arrested in July last year after attacking the woman, 22, in Whitechapel.

He refused to appear by video link from HMP Pentonville after repeatedly abusing the judge and jury at Snaresbrook crown court.

Prosecutors said Estephane had deliberately delayed proceedings at his trial in January in a bid to derail the case. Lawyers had to beg the victim, who lost her job and said giving evidence was "horrific", to continue testifying for three weeks.

She had been in an "extreme drunken stupor" after meeting friends in Brick Lane and agreed to accompany Estephane to a car park to smoke cannabis.

Estephane, of Forest Gate, was convicted of rape and sex assault and must serve four and a half years before possible parole.