THE work of Gloucestershire Police officers has led to the conviction of a London man who robbed women at knifepoint in Gloucester and committed two sexual assaults.

Clive Dixon, 32 and of St Leonard's Road in Croydon, London, was found guilty at Gloucester Crown Court yesterday (Wednesday, February 26) of two robberies in the city last year and pleaded guilty to a further two sexual assaults in Gloucester and London.

Dixon, who is originally from the Caribbean but has been in the UK for around six years, was given a seven and a half year prison term and is likely to be deported at the end of his sentence.

Forensic work of one of the robberies at an industrial estate in Sudmeadow Road last year was crucial to the outcome of the investigation.

A 19-year-old woman from Newent was leaning into her vehicle on Friday, April 26 in the evening when Dixon opened her passenger door and asked for a light. He then took out a knife and pressed it against her neck before demanding money and taking £10 from her.

Responding to the 999 call an officer arrived and made sure certain areas were not touched until crime scene officers got there.

Fingerprints were found on the door and later matched to Dixon when the Metropolitan Police were investigating a sexual assault in the capital.

Dixon was then linked to another robbery in Edwy Parade where he held a knife to a woman's face and cut the strap of her handbag, and a sexual assault in Stonehenge Road where he touched a girl's bottom and groin while she was walking with friends.

The Detective Inspector who led the investigation Wendy Burford said it was a very satisfying result.

"The victims have been incredibly brave in helping us throughout our inquiries and I was very touched to have a personal message from one of them thanking all of our officers for their support," she said.

"Dixon wouldn't have been caught if it wasn't for the professionalism of my team and CID.

"All the inquiries were done with a meticulous attention to detail and it was only because of that that we found out who was responsible.

"That piece of forensic work in finding and preserving a fingerprint was the key that unlocked everything.

"Knife crime is obviously a concern at the moment but I hope this investigation shows how professional we are and how determined we are to find people who commit these type of offences.”