Edward Ampeh, 33, of Carpenters Road, Stratford, has been sentenced to eight years in prison for his violent robberies of two women on the Docklands Light Railway (DLR). In a disturbing twist, he even asked one of his victims to follow him on Instagram after assaulting her.
Ampeh was found guilty of two counts of robbery after a trial at Inner London Crown Court. The court heard that on May 6, 2022, just after midnight, Ampeh followed a woman off a DLR service at Greenwich station. Once on the platform, he verbally abused her, swearing and threatening her as he forced her towards the railings. When the woman tried to turn away, he struck her on the head from behind.
Ampeh then pursued her down the stairs and through the station, demanding to know what was in her bag. After she handed over a phone charger and some money, Ampeh continued to ask her personal questions. He then bizarrely requested that she email her phone number to him and follow him on Instagram before leaving the station.
A month later, on June 5, 2022, Ampeh approached a second woman at Limehouse DLR station. He grabbed her handbag strap and pulled it forcefully. As the woman screamed and struggled to hold on to her bag, the force caused her to be dragged down the staircase, twisting her leg in the process.
Once she fell to the ground, Ampeh went through her handbag before running off, discarding it at the station.
A British Transport Police spokesperson noted that during his interview, Ampeh showed no remorse for his actions and denied involvement in both incidents. He was found guilty of both robberies on November 4, 2024.
DC Tom Bolton, the investigating officer, expressed satisfaction with the conviction, stating, “Ampeh targeted vulnerable women in a predatory and violent manner. His actions have caused lasting trauma for his victims, and I hope this verdict offers them some closure.”
He added, “Violent and abusive behavior will never be tolerated on the railway, and we are committed to holding offenders like Ampeh accountable.”