A devil-obsessed “Ripper” is facing a life sentence for killing one woman and attacking two others in a violent four-hour spree.

Delivery driver Brian Sengendo was found guilty of beating and stabbing Therasia Gordon, 44, to death before dumping her body in woods in Enfield, north London, last August.

Hours before, the 26-year-old targeted two other vulnerable women in the area, the Old Bailey was told.

Devil-obsessed

The court heard how Sengendo had a collection of Tarot cards and had recordings on his mobile phone talking about devils and demons.

He told one of the victims “repeat after me, I’m the devil’s child” before forcing her to perform a sex act.

The defendant was found guilty of seven charges on Friday, including murder, attempted murder, kidnap and rape.

Judge John Hillen congratulated the police for their “outstanding” work in catching Sengendo.

He said: “Through effective police work… it may well be a serial killer has been caught on day one.

“This is, to use a journalist vernacular, a Ripper case where an offender has been caught.”

Sentencing has been adjourned until 18 March.

Sengendo is facing a minimum of 30 years behind bars, the judge said, adding a whole life order would be considered.

‘Pretended to be a client’

Prosecutor John Price QC told the jury that the defendant carried out the attacks of “escalating gravity” over less than four hours on the night of 3 August last year.

Sengendo kidnapped the vulnerable women by “tricking” them into his Vauxhall van.

Mr Price said: “He pretended to be a potential client, whereas in truth, no sooner had they got in and shut the door, this man had something very different in mind.”

The attacks came to light after police went to the aid of an injured woman stumbling in the road just after midnight on 4 August.

Holding her bleeding neck, the woman shouted: “I have been stabbed, can someone please help me?”

She told the officer: “I am a prostitute and my client stabbed me, then threw my mobile phone in the bush.”

Then shortly before 1am, a resident of New Park Avenue reported an attack in an alleyway behind their house to the police.

He said he had heard a woman shouting, “help, please, no!” and saw a young man striking something inside a van, the court heard.

The van had gone by the time officers arrived, but there was a large pool of blood on the ground, a mobile phone and two bloodstained knives at the scene.

The phone belonged to Ms Gordon and police circulated her details as a “high-risk missing person”.

A day later, a woman walking along Burnt Farm Ride, near the M25, saw what she thought was a “life-size doll” among trees.

But early on 6 August, a cyclist stopped and took a closer look, and realised it was a woman.

Mr Price said: “He called out to her but got no response. He believed she must be dead and so he telephoned the police.

“It was immediately obvious from the outward appearance of her body that Ms Gordon had suffered a violent death. She had been stabbed and beaten.”

Arrest

Sengendo was arrested in the early hours of 7 August after CCTV footage led to the police identifying a white Vauxhall Vivaro which was linked to the defendant’s former address in Enfield.

He told officers in his interview that he was “confused” but did not answer questions.

Police later found his blood-soaked trainers and Tarot cards in an empty flat next to his home, while his T-shirt was recovered from the scene of Ms Gordon’s attack.

Two phones were also recovered – with one revealing searches for “dead girl in Enfield” and “how long does DNA last” in the days between the murder and the discovery of the body.

Sengendo claimed in his evidence that a man called “KT”, who he met through his work as a Yodel delivery driver, must have taken the T-shirt and the spare keys to his van.

He denied all the charges against him and said he believed in the devil as any Christian would.

‘Devastating impact’

Detective Chief Inspector Neil John, who led the investigation, said Ms Gordon’s murder has had a “devastating impact on her family, not least her mum, Jan”.

He added that he hoped she has some small comfort knowing that her daughter’s killer will “spend most of his life behind bars”.

“We must not forget the other women who suffered at Sengendo’s hands. They too have spoken about the lasting effect that night has had on them. We commend their bravery in speaking to us and providing the evidence which was crucial to his conviction,” he continued.

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