A university student has been jailed for a total of 15 years for raping and robbing prostitutes.

Ashley Mitton, 24, of Violet Road, Walthamstow, who was sentenced on Monday, was found guilty of raping a 26-year-old sex worker in his car in St Luke’s Passage, Ilford after he picked the woman up in nearby Ilford Lane.

He threatened and raped the victim before she managed to run away and alert a motorist who called the police and reported the number plate of the car Mitton was driving – leading to his arrest later the same day.

The attack which happened on Saturday June 15 2013 came after another attack on Saturday March 9 2013 when he picked up a 30-year-old prostitute on Romford Road, Forest Gate, and repeatedly raped her in nearby Disraeli Road after he threatened her with a screwdriver.

Mitton drove off from the scene with the woman still in the back seat when he was disturbed by another driver. He ordered her out of the vehicle when he saw that the victim was trying to call for help on her phone.

While he was awaiting trial his home address was searched and another sex worker was identified following an investigation.

The third woman reported that she had been the victim of a violent robbery in Lea Bridge Road, Leyton, in 2012. Mitton robbed her of her bag after spproaching her with a sharp-edged item.

He was found guilty in September last year for six offences including one count of rape on June 15 2013 and was sentenced to five years imprisonment to run consecutively on Monday at Inner London Crown Court.

Mitton was also found guilty of three counts of rape on March 9 2013, for which he was sentenced to seven years imprisonment for each offence to run concurrently.

He was found guilty of one count of possession of an offensive weapon on March 9 2013 and was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment to run concurrently.

And he was found guilty of one count of robbery in 2012 and was sentenced to 3 years imprisonment to run consecutively.

Det Con John Buck, who led the investigation, said: “Ashley Mitton was a university student, captain of the football team, but under that seemingly normal exterior was a very dangerous young man who preyed on vulnerable women.

“His conviction has been the result of a detailed and painstaking police operation, the outcome of which unquestionably proved his guilt.

“Mitton targeted sex workers to carry out his horrific crimes, women who are in a very vulnerable situation. He had the extremely misguided belief that they would not be believed because they were sex workers. I would like to thank all the victims for having the courage to come forward and put their trust in the police to investigate their claims.”

He added: “I would appeal to anyone who may have been attacked by Mitton to come forward and speak to police. I hope this conviction gives victims of sexual offences the confidence that police will treat their information with professionalism and sensitivity and pursue those responsible.”

Anyone who has any information should contact their local police station on 101 but always ring 999 in an emergency. If you wish to remain anonymous you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.