Man who repeatedly harassed and threatened woman on London street jailed for six weeks

Max Ronaldson threatened to rape victim

Max Ronaldson first leered at the woman as she walked home in January (PA)

A man who repeatedly harassed a woman in the street and threatened to rape her has been jailed for six weeks.

Max Ronaldson, 25, first leered at the woman as she walked home along Balham Hill, in southwest London on 25 January.

The victim challenged Ronaldson, but he responded by following her, shouting abuse and threatening to break into her house and rape her.

A similar incident occurred on 12 February when Ronaldson approached the woman again but was seen off by two members of the public.

On 21 February, Ronaldson approached the woman a third time, but she was able to film the incident on her phone and take pictures, which she passed to police.

He was arrested and charged with two offences, threatening behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress and causing harassment without violence.

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Ronaldson, of Clapham Common South Side, pleaded guilty to both offences at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court on Friday.

Detective Constable Richard Roberts of the Metropolitan Police’s South West CID said: “The victim was simply walking along the street when she was subjected to unwanted and unpleasant harassment.

“She had the strength of character to challenge this outrageous behaviour and to report it to the police.

“When she was harassed again, she was calm and had the presence of mind to take photos of the man which helped the investigation enormously.”

DC Roberts said anyone reporting this type of crime “will be taken seriously and investigated as far as the evidence will take us”.