Joseph McCann trial: Alleged rapist 'threatened to chop up girls'

Joseph McCann is accused of 37 offences against 11 women and children aged 11 to 71

An alleged serial rapist threatened to "chop up" two 14-year-old girls who he snatched off a street in Greater Manchester, a court has heard.

Joseph McCann is accused of stealing a Fiat car belonging to a 71-year-old woman and then forcing the girls into the vehicle on 5 May.

The Old Bailey was shown CCTV of him buying petrol and a pack of condoms at a garage while they waited in the car.

Mr McCann, 34, of Harrow, London, denies 37 offences against 11 victims.

The jury heard a petrol attendant who served the defendant in the Shell garage thought he appeared to be "angry, nervous and in a rush".

After leaving the garage, Mr McCann was spotted by a police patrol who were already on the look-out for the vehicle.

Police chase

PC Michael Jennings saw two girls in the back and one of them appeared "terrified" while the other raised a hand to attract attention, the Old Bailey heard.

Dashcam footage of the subsequent police chase was played in court which showed the Fiat going the wrong way around a roundabout and colliding with a bronze Mercedes.

Despite being damaged it carried on at speeds of up to 60mph (97km/h) in a 40mph (97km/h) zone, the court was told.

Jurors heard Mr McCann then abandoned the car, leaving the two girls by the road, and was later seen on CCTV running past a man who was cleaning a driveway.

He was then seen riding a bicycle having swapped his T-shirt and later he got a taxi from a restaurant in Stoke, which was stopped by police.

At 20:40 BST, Mr McCann was seen running through a field, having fled from the taxi when he was challenged by an officer.

He was finally arrested after climbing a tree, the court has heard.

Mr McCann, who was not in court, is charged with the following offences against women and children aged 11 to 71, between 20 April and 5 May this year:

• Ten counts of false imprisonment

• Seven counts of rape

• One count of rape of a child

• Two counts of causing or inciting a person to engage in sexual activity without consent

• Seven counts of kidnap

• One count of attempted kidnap

• Three counts of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity

• Three counts of assault by penetration

• One count of sexual assault

• Two counts of committing a sexual offence with intent

The trial continues.