Man who raped 12-year-old girl he met online may have attacked in Dacorum

A man who raped a 12-year-old girl after befriending her on social media may have preyed on victims in Dacorum.

Driss Serhir, 21, of no fixed address, has just been sentenced to nine years in jail for the attack.

But it’s thought there may be more victims out there as he visited the county, using several aliases, and was in contact with many girls aged between 10 and 15.

Serhir was previously found guilty of three counts of rape and sentenced to nine years for each offence, to be served concurrently. He was also placed on the sex offenders register for life and given a 15-year Sexual Harm and Prevention Order.

Met officers believe there may be more victims out there and are encouraging anyone with information to come forward.

Sergeant PJ Jones, who led the investigation, said: “Driss Serhir is a predatory offender who was callous, not only in his offending, but on his insistence on putting his victim through the trial process.

"I wish to thank the survivor of this assault for her trust, resilience and patience. Without the continued support of her and her loved ones, this man would have remained a danger in the community.

“The investigation into Serhir’s movements and communications suggest he was in contact with many girls aged between 10 and 15 years old and that he has visited Greater London, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Surrey and the West Midlands using several aliases.

“I would like to hear from anyone who recognises him or who has any concerns about his behaviour. We have specially trained officers and work alongside partners who can offer a wide range of support.”

Serhir, who was aged 18 at the time of the offences, befriended the victim on Snapchat and in October 2019 she agreed to meet with him and travel together into central London.

During the course of the day, Serhir hinted he was in possession of a knife and a firearm and took control of the victim’s mobile phone.

He then booked a hotel room where he sexually assaulted her several times before she left the next day.

On returning home in a distressed state, police were notified and the victim was provided with support from specially trained officers and partners.

Following the victim’s account, Serhir was quickly identified and arrested, and following a police investigation, was charged with three counts of rape of a child under 13.

Forensic experts proved that semen found on the clothing of the victim was a match to Driss Serhir, with examination of his phone showing he had used the device to book the hotel room, despite him using a different name and paying in cash.

The seized phone also included videos showing him with the girl in the hotel room, while search terms including ‘rape’ were found in his search history.

If you have been a victim of sexual assault call police on 101 or report it to the Met Police with reference 4798/18JUL22.