Key Points
- Daryl German, 43, of Melfield Gardens, Lewisham; Jordan Donely Wint, 31, of Winterstoke Road, Lewisham; and Deon Smith, 45, of New Cross Road, Lewisham, were convicted following a trial at Woolwich Crown Court.
- Offences occurred in June 2025, starting when German approached the 14-year-old girl walking alone in Catford and coerced her to his flat in New Cross, south-east London.
- German raped the girl, then invited Wint, who also assaulted her; the men realised she was a missing child but did not contact the police or her family.
- German sent explicit messages to Smith, who then raped the girl at his address; she was given crack cocaine and alcohol during the assaults.
- Convictions: German for arranging travel for exploitation, three counts of rape, assault by penetration, two counts of making indecent images of a child; Wint for one count of rape and one count of assault by penetration; Smith for one count of rape.
- Sentences at Woolwich Crown Court on 10 April 2026: German 15 years imprisonment with three years extended licence; Wint, six years; Smith, seven years; all on sex offenders register for life.
- Trial guilty verdicts in January 2026; arrests in early July 2025 based on forensic, digital, and CCTV evidence.
- Detective Constable Jack Best of the Met Police praised the victim’s resilience.
- Total jail time: 28 years (some reports state 29 years combined).
Lewisham (South London News) April 15, 2026 – Three men from the area have been sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court for the rape, sexual assault, and trafficking of a 14-year-old girl reported missing on 10 April 2026.Â
- Key Points
- What Happened to the 14-Year-Old Girl in Catford?
- When did the police respond and arrest the Men?
- What Were the Convictions and Sentences?
- Who Praised the Victim and the Investigation?
- How Did the CPS Describe the Case?
- Background of the Development
- Prediction: Impact on South London Communities
What Happened to the 14-Year-Old Girl in Catford?
A 14-year-old girl, reported missing, was approached by Daryl German, 43, of Melfield Gardens, Lewisham, while walking alone in Catford in June 2025. As reported by the Metropolitan Police in their statement, German coerced her back to his flat in New Cross, south-east London, where he raped her.
The girl was subjected to further assaults by German acquaintances. According to the BBC, German invited Jordan Donely Wint, 31, of Winterstoke Road, Lewisham, to his flat after assaulting the girl.
As detailed by the Evening Standard, the two men realised she was a missing child but made no attempt to contact her family or police, which the Met Police described as showing “clear and sinister intent”.
German then sent explicit messages referencing sexual contact with the girl to Deon Smith, 45, of New Cross Road, Lewisham. She was taken to Smith’s address, where she was raped again, the Met Police said.
During this time, the victim was given crack cocaine and alcohol, as stated by Joanna Barun, Senior Crown Prosecutor in the CPS London Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Unit, in the CPS release.
When did the police respond and arrest the Men?
Police were made aware of a rape report at a residential address in New Cross on 27 June 2025. Officers immediately launched an investigation and safeguarded the victim, who was 14 at the time, according to the Metropolitan Police.
Due to the diligence of detectives and strong forensic, digital, and CCTV evidence, the three men were arrested within the first week of July 2025 and charged on the day of their arrests, the Met said.
German was identified as the principal offender after review of the evidence. The men, all from Lewisham, were found guilty of multiple offences following a trial at Woolwich Crown Court in January 2026.
What Were the Convictions and Sentences?
Daryl German was convicted of arranging travel for exploitation, three counts of rape, assault by penetration, and two counts of making indecent images of a child. He received 15 years’ imprisonment with three years on extended licence at Woolwich Crown Court on 10 April 2026.
Jordan Donely Wint was convicted of one count of rape and one count of assault by penetration and sentenced to six years in prison.
Deon Smith was found guilty of one count of rape and jailed for seven years.
All three were placed on the sex offenders register for life during the sentencing hearing.
The sentences total 28 years, as reported across sources including the Evening Standard and Express.
Who Praised the Victim and the Investigation?
Detective Constable Jack Best, who led the Met’s investigation, said:
“I extend my thanks to the victim, whose exceptional resilience and determination have proved crucial to the successful prosecution of three dangerous individuals.”
Det Con Best added:
“The dedicated investigation team uncovered evidence which proved the harmful actions all three individuals played throughout the attack, securing their removal from London’s streets.”
Joanna Barun, Senior Crown Prosecutor in CPS London South, said:
“Daryl German, Deon Smith and Jordan Wint groomed a young girl with alcohol and drugs before sexually abusing her over several days without a shred of regard for her, undoubtedly causing serious, lifelong harm.”
The Met Police noted they have transformed the way they investigate rape and sexual offences, more than doubling rape cases charged since 2021.
How Did the CPS Describe the Case?
The CPS stated that German targeted the victim and persuaded her to his flat before raping her, later inviting Wint to do the same, then bringing her to Smith’s flat.
Joanna Barun of the CPS emphasised the grooming with alcohol and drugs over several days.
Prosecutors presented clear evidence leading to guilty verdicts on 27 January 2026.
Background of the Development
The offences stem from a missing person report for the 14-year-old girl in June 2025, leading to a rape report on 27 June at a New Cross address. This prompted a rapid Met Police response, with arrests by early July 2025 using CCTV, forensics, and digital evidence. The trial at Woolwich Crown Court concluded with guilty verdicts in January 2026, followed by sentencing on 10 April 2026. Coverage appeared in outlets like BBC, Evening Standard, CPS, Express, and MyLondon, highlighting south-east London vulnerabilities.
Prediction: Impact on South London Communities
This development can affect families and residents in Lewisham and surrounding areas by heightening awareness of child exploitation risks when minors are reported missing. Parents may increase vigilance for teenagers walking alone in areas like Catford, potentially leading to more immediate reports of suspicious activity to the police. Local communities could see strengthened trust in Met Police investigations due to the swift arrests and convictions, encouraging victims to come forward. Schools and youth services in south-east London might enhance safety education on grooming tactics involving drugs and alcohol. Overall, it underscores the need for ongoing monitoring of sex offenders post-release, influencing neighbourhood watch groups and council safeguarding measures for vulnerable children.
