A sex attacker who pretended to be a police officer and raped a woman in 2001 has finally been convicted for the offence through DNA evidence.

David Bromwich, 47, of Archway, was found guilty of rape at the Central Criminal Court on Thursday.

He was jailed for seven years and placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely. The court heard he lured her into his car and assaulted her after she enjoyed a night out with friends in Camden on August 8 2001.

The victim remembered only waking up the next day in a street feeling she had been assaulted.

Bromwich evaded identification until May last year when he was arrested for an unrelated matter and police took his DNA.

Officers from Islington helped arrest Bromwich on October 21 after the DNA sample matched those taken at the scene of the rape.

The investigation was carried out by The Metropolitan Police Service’s Cold Case Sapphire team.

Speaking after his conviction, Det Con Claire Watts, from the Sapphire squad, said: “Bromwich preyed on a vulnerable female and tricked her into his car on the pretence he was a police officer who could help her. In fact, it was the opposite. “He raped her in his car before dumping her the street.

“It is likely he believed he had got away with the offence and was no doubt surprised when police caught up with him so many years afterward.

“I hope this conviction provides some closure for the victim and encourages any victims in a similar situation to come forward on the basis that no matter how much time has passed since an offence, officers will vigorously pursue all allegations of sexual assault.”