A violent sex attacker from Wembley has been jailed for life after targeting a lone woman on a night bus in north-west London. Dorin Varga, aged 35, approached his victim on the N18 bus in the early hours of August 8, 2020, following an earlier rejection of his advances at the Green Man pub in Harlesden.
Varga sat beside the woman, who was making her way home after a night out, and began touching and kissing her despite her clear protests. When she alighted the bus around 4am at Hilltop Avenue in Stonebridge, Varga followed her. As she attempted to flee, he violently smashed her head against a brick wall and repeatedly punched her in the face. He then tried to rape her before stealing her phone and escaping the scene.
The victim suffered severe injuries, including a bloodied face requiring stitches in hospital, a ripped-out earring, and clumps of her hair left at the location. Police arrested Varga on August 15, 2020, and he was charged with sexual assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, robbery, and attempted rape. He pleaded guilty to all counts.
On March 10, 2022, at Harrow Crown Court, Varga received a mandatory life sentence, with a minimum tariff of eight years' imprisonment, reduced to six years and 148 days accounting for time already served in custody. The court determined that Varga posed a significant risk of harm to the public due to the likelihood of further offending.
Investigators tracked Varga using CCTV footage from the bus and pub, as well as his Oyster card usage. Photos from the Green Man pub on the night of the attack, showing Varga in the background, also aided the identification. Samira Noor-Khan from the Crown Prosecution Service stated: “This was an unprovoked and extremely violent assault on a woman who was simply making her way home after a night out. She should have been safe. Dorin Varga’s actions were predatory and brutal. He preyed on a victim who was alone, intoxicated and had clearly rejected his advances.” She added: “He thought he could get away with his crime, but the strong CCTV evidence meant the police were easily able to identify him.”
The case was reported by the Brent & Kilburn Times, highlighting ongoing concerns about women's safety in the area.