'Disturbed' Bexley barber tried to rape off-licence worker

John Akinrinola attacked an off-licence staff member who confronted him after he entered the shop, picked up a bottle of wine and started drinking it. 

Akinrinola, 23, grabbed the woman's genitals then pulled his trousers down, forced her to the ground and tried to rape her. 

Akinrinola, who worked as a barber in Bexley, admitted sexual assault and attempted rape but gave no explanation for the violent attack. 

Akinrinola was jailed for four and a half years at Woolwich Crown Court on Wednesday (June 19). 

The incident took place at around 11am on December 12 when the female shop worker was the only other person in the shop. 

The woman managed to scratch her attacker’s face and hit him round the head before he got off her and left the shop. 

Judge Christopher Grout, who was shown CCTV of the attack, said: “The footage is very disturbing. That woman was subjected to a very serious assault. She does an incredible job of defending herself against him. The whole thing lasts for nearly 10 minutes.” 

Police were called and Akinrinola was arrested nearby. 

He answered no comment to all questions when question by police. 

Akinrinola was later diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia but doctors concluded that his mental health did not have an impact on his behaviour. 

Akinrinola has no previous convictions, had no prior mental health issues and was married at the time of this offence. 

Judge Grout said he was “left in the void” as to why Akinrinola had done this, as the defendant did not provide any explanation other than that he had smoked cannabis earlier that day. 

John Akinrinola (Image: Met Police)

“You have accepted that you had taken cannabis, certainly from the CCTV it is clear that you were acting under the influence, though I make it clear that it is no excuse for what happened,” Judge Grout said. 

He sentenced Akinrinola to four and a half years in prison. 

Akinrinola will also be on the sex offenders register for life.