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| Serial sex attacker facing jail | Serial sex attacker facing jail |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| A serial sex attacker who preyed on women in south west London over a six year period is to be sentenced later. | A serial sex attacker who preyed on women in south west London over a six year period is to be sentenced later. |
| The Metropolitan Police have apologised for failings in the inquiry to track down 44-year-old Kirk Reid. | The Metropolitan Police have apologised for failings in the inquiry to track down 44-year-old Kirk Reid. |
| Reid was convicted of two rapes and 24 sexual assaults and will be sentenced at Kingston Crown Court. | |
| Police also believe the former chef from Cavendish Road, Balham, was responsible for a further 71 attacks on women who were walking alone at night. | |
| Reid was charged with attacks which took place in the Balham, Clapham and Tooting areas between August 2001 and October 2007. | Reid was charged with attacks which took place in the Balham, Clapham and Tooting areas between August 2001 and October 2007. |
| Although identified as a suspect in February 2004, he was not arrested until four years later. | Although identified as a suspect in February 2004, he was not arrested until four years later. |
| DNA was recovered from two of his victims but Reid was not tested. | DNA was recovered from two of his victims but Reid was not tested. |
| Trial judge Shani Barnes praised officers who caught him, but criticised "years of inadequate work" for allowing him to go undetected. | Trial judge Shani Barnes praised officers who caught him, but criticised "years of inadequate work" for allowing him to go undetected. |
| He was finally caught when responsibility for the investigation moved from the Wandsworth borough sex crime unit, known as Sapphire, to the Met's homicide and serious crime command. | He was finally caught when responsibility for the investigation moved from the Wandsworth borough sex crime unit, known as Sapphire, to the Met's homicide and serious crime command. |
| His case is currently the subject of an inquiry by the Independent Police Complaints Commission. | His case is currently the subject of an inquiry by the Independent Police Complaints Commission. |
| Reid, who worked as head chef at Camberwell College, was described by one detective as "an extremely dangerous man". | Reid, who worked as head chef at Camberwell College, was described by one detective as "an extremely dangerous man". |