Birmingham 'gorilla mask' sex attacker jailed

Elvis Sidaway was tracked down after his car was spotted in Selly Oak

A man who carried out sex attacks on young women at knifepoint while wearing a gorilla mask has been jailed for 21 years.

Elvis Sidaway, 53, preyed on women - often students - in Birmingham's Selly Oak, Edgbaston and Quinton areas between 20 November and 29 January.

Some victims were threatened with a knife, West Midlands Police said.

At Birmingham Crown Court Sidaway, of Fountain Road, Edgbaston, was found guilty of rape and possessing a knife.

He had previously admitted sexually assaulting five students as well as three charges of threatening another with a knife.

'A dangerous man'

Two female students reported being attacked by a suspect wearing a gorilla mask last November and one of the women managed to pull the mask covering off.

Sidaway, who worked as a paint mixer, was tracked down after his car was spotted in Selly Oak.

A search of the blue Peugeot 207 car revealed condoms and a black firelighter. At his address, officers found a craft knife, black gloves and another firelighter.

Det Sgt Laura Harrison said Sidaway had caused a whole community to question their safety.

A suspect wearing a gorilla mask was reported to police after two attacks in November

"I hope this will reassure his victims and the wider student population that a dangerous man is no longer a threat to them," she said.

Jonathan Kelleher, senior crown prosecutor with the West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service said: "Elvis Sidaway is a dangerous sexual predator who targeted vulnerable lone females on their way home in the early hours of the morning."

Sidaway will remain on the sex offenders register indefinitely, the court said.