Police have released an e-fit of a south London serial sex attacker.

Dubbed the 'nightstalker', the man is believed to be behind a spate of rapes, sex attacks and burglaries against elderly women around Norwood, Downham and Lee Green.

While the e-fit man has not been forensically linked to the attacks, his manner is similar to the offender, police said.

Operation Minstead

The man targets the elderly and is believed to have committed 24 sex assaults and four rapes over 18 years. Operation Minstead is the latest concerted effort to snare the sex beast. Det Supt Simon Morgan said:

"We are cautious about the offence as it has not been linked forensically, but the manner in which it was committed is consistent with the way the Minstead offender behaves.

"The victim saw the suspect in dark conditions but states he is a light skinned black man, with markings on the side of his face. These could be a number of things such as freckles, scarring or spots."

Latest attacks

In Norwood and Downham he is believed to have sexually assaulted two people in the past four weeks. He is also thought to have broken into three homes in Lee, Downham and Norwood. It was one of these victims who helped police compile the e-fit.

£40,000 reward

A reward of £40,000 has been offered for information leading to the attacker's arrest and conviction.

The suspect is described as a light-skinned black man in his 40s, well-spoken and polite with a soft voice and an athletic build.

DNA profile

Cops have the man's DNA yet have been unable to match it to anyone in their database. Forensics shown he is from the Windward Islands in the Caribbean. He has a connection to Brighton and his mother died in 2000.

Police added the suspect could be living, visiting or working in Honor Oak or Forest Hill area.