Cash Machine CCTV Leads To Stranglers' Arrest

CCTV has helped capture a man, who strangled a woman in the toilets of a West End Bar leaving her unconscious.

He was sentenced to an indefinite period in custody last Friday, 30 September at Southwark Crown Court.

Pedro Ricardo Eusebio Santos, a 30-year-old Portuguese national living in London was sentenced for attempted murder following a four-day trial in August 2011, which resulted in a unanimous guilty verdict.

On 25 November 2010, at approximately 3.40pm, Eusebio Santos visited the bar in Upper St Martins Lane, WC2 where he was captured on CCTV loitering outside the ladies toilets.

A few minutes later, the 22-year old victim, unknown to the suspect, entered the ladies toilets where she was followed in shortly afterwards by Eusebio Santos.

As the victim came out of the toilet cubicle, Eusebio Santos punched her hard in the face and pushed her to the back of the cubicle.

He locked the toilet door behind them and carried out a sustained attack on the victim for over ten minutes, strangling her to the point of unconsciousness. Her resulting injuries indicated that this attack could have been fatal.

He then left the bar and wandered towards Leicester Square. The woman was taken to a central London hospital for treatment and was subsequently discharged.

Arrested

Officers traced Eusebio Santos through CCTV footage, which showed him using a cash machine on Charing Cross Road minutes after the attack.

He was arrested on 7 January 2011 at his home address, wearing the same clothing worn during the attack. He was charged the following day with attempted murder and was remanded in custody to attend court.

Eusebio Santos was identified by the Judge as a dangerous offender and given an indeterminate sentence, but was instructed that he would not be considered for parole before he had served nine years (to include time already served on remand).

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Louise Rochester, said: "This violent attack had an enormous impact on the victim and she is undoubtedly lucky to be alive. She has shown great courage in her support for the investigation and during the subsequent trial. Eusebio Santos lay in wait for the victim and acted in the knowledge that she would be totally unable to defend herself against him. This sentence reflects the violent and wholly unprovoked nature of the crime and the affect it has had on the victim."

(BMcC/CD)