Sex attacker 'kidnapped' baby boy

A sex attacker raped three young women, made one of them pregnant, and then kidnapped her baby son shortly after he was born, a court was told.

Jordan Shodeke, 26, punched the woman to the ground and grabbed the eight-day-old baby from the pushchair, jurors at the Inner London Crown Court heard.

It was allegedly the final act of a three-year campaign of degrading, physical violence towards the women.

Mr Shodeke, from Kennington, south-east London, denies six counts of rape.

Charming and polite

He is also accused of kidnap, putting all three victims in fear of violence and falsely imprisoning two of them.

He would brag he could get away with anything he did to them Karen Holt, prosecuting

The court heard that to begin with each of his alleged victims thought Mr Shodeke was "charming, polite, funny and kind".

But it was no more than a facade, behind which lurked a "manipulative and intimidating" rapist, it was claimed.

"When each woman rejected a sexual relationship with this defendant or he suspected the involvement of other men in their lives, he subjected them to incessant harassment with repeated phone calls, threats to them and members of their family, humiliating treatment and, indeed, assault.

"He would brag he could get away with anything he did to them."

He insists all sex was consensual.

The trial was adjourned until Wednesday.