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| Joseph McCann: Alleged rapist 'hid in tree to evade police' | Joseph McCann: Alleged rapist 'hid in tree to evade police' |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| A man accused of a series of rapes stole a bike and climbed a tree in a bid to evade police after being caught with two 14-year-old girls in a car, a jury has heard. | A man accused of a series of rapes stole a bike and climbed a tree in a bid to evade police after being caught with two 14-year-old girls in a car, a jury has heard. |
| A manhunt was launched after a string of women and children were abducted and sexually assaulted over a two-week period, the Old Bailey was told. | A manhunt was launched after a string of women and children were abducted and sexually assaulted over a two-week period, the Old Bailey was told. |
| Joseph McCann, of Harrow, is accused of 37 offences against 11 alleged victims in London and the North West. | Joseph McCann, of Harrow, is accused of 37 offences against 11 alleged victims in London and the North West. |
| The 34-year-old denies all charges. | The 34-year-old denies all charges. |
| On the second day of the trial, prosecutor John Price QC told the court how the net began to close on the defendant on 5 May after two 14-year-old girls were coerced into a stolen Fiat. | On the second day of the trial, prosecutor John Price QC told the court how the net began to close on the defendant on 5 May after two 14-year-old girls were coerced into a stolen Fiat. |
| The car had been taken from a 71-year-old woman who had been kidnapped and raped earlier that day, Mr Price said. | The car had been taken from a 71-year-old woman who had been kidnapped and raped earlier that day, Mr Price said. |
| That evening Mr McCann was captured on CCTV buying condoms at a petrol station on the Clayton Bypass in Cheshire. | That evening Mr McCann was captured on CCTV buying condoms at a petrol station on the Clayton Bypass in Cheshire. |
| Shortly after a police officer spotted the Fiat at a roundabout on the bypass and set off in pursuit. | Shortly after a police officer spotted the Fiat at a roundabout on the bypass and set off in pursuit. |
| The Fiat crashed and the suspect fled on foot, leaving the two "very frightened and distressed" girls in the car, jurors heard. | The Fiat crashed and the suspect fled on foot, leaving the two "very frightened and distressed" girls in the car, jurors heard. |
| After stealing a mountain bike and riding it to restaurant in Scholar Green, Cheshire, he called for a taxi, the prosecutor said. | After stealing a mountain bike and riding it to restaurant in Scholar Green, Cheshire, he called for a taxi, the prosecutor said. |
| But police had set up roadblocks and the taxi was intercepted on the A34 south of Congleton. | But police had set up roadblocks and the taxi was intercepted on the A34 south of Congleton. |
| The man fled into fields and police helicopter found him hiding up a tree where he was eventually brought down at 02:36 on 6 May and arrested for rape and abduction. | The man fled into fields and police helicopter found him hiding up a tree where he was eventually brought down at 02:36 on 6 May and arrested for rape and abduction. |
| Mr McCann allegedly told the officer: "If you had caught me for the first two, the rest of this wouldn't have happened." | Mr McCann allegedly told the officer: "If you had caught me for the first two, the rest of this wouldn't have happened." |
| Jurors were also shown a video interview with a woman who reported being "raped and kidnapped at knifepoint" by a man who told her he had just got out of jail "after doing 18 years". | Jurors were also shown a video interview with a woman who reported being "raped and kidnapped at knifepoint" by a man who told her he had just got out of jail "after doing 18 years". |
| The 21-year-old was kidnapped by the defendant as she walked home from Pryzm nightclub in Watford in the early hours of 21 April, prosecutors allege. | The 21-year-old was kidnapped by the defendant as she walked home from Pryzm nightclub in Watford in the early hours of 21 April, prosecutors allege. |
| She said: "I felt the knife and he put his arm round me so I couldn't move. The knife is at my neck. I felt it, it was sharp. | She said: "I felt the knife and he put his arm round me so I couldn't move. The knife is at my neck. I felt it, it was sharp. |
| "He told me to shut up and walk to the car...I think he slapped me in the face because I was crying." | "He told me to shut up and walk to the car...I think he slapped me in the face because I was crying." |
| The woman said he drove around and told her she had to "join the firm", before taking her back to her flat, where she was raped. | The woman said he drove around and told her she had to "join the firm", before taking her back to her flat, where she was raped. |
| She said: "He kept saying I was one of his 15 girlfriends and I would get on with his wife and kids." | She said: "He kept saying I was one of his 15 girlfriends and I would get on with his wife and kids." |
| The defendant, who was not in court, is charged with: | The defendant, who was not in court, is charged with: |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |