text: Double rapist Solomon Khoorban, 33, a former soldier based at Woolwich barracks, London, has been jailed for 16 years . A double rapist ex-soldier who went undetected for 12 years after attacking a 16-year-old in a West End nightclub and raping a second woman at knifepoint has finally been jailed. Violent Solomon Khoorban, now 33, forced himself on the teenager in the VIP area at Equinox nightclub in Leicester Square - which has now been replaced by a casino - after punching her so hard in the face  that she was knocked unconscious. He then ordered his terrified victim to wait in the VIP area for at least 30 minutes, threatening to kill her if she did not oblige. Princess Diana was among a host of famous faces who attended shows, events and after parties at the club before it closed down. Just two months later, in August 2003, the knife-wielding attacker raped a 32-year-old woman as she walked through Greenwich, south east London. The former gunner, who was 21 at the time, put her in a headlock, dragged her  into the bushes and raped her twice. He also told her: 'B****** shouldn't be out at this time'. Both rapes were reported to police at the time but it took detectives more than a decade to track Khoorban down and link him to the sex attacks. The arrest came after the Met’s Specialist Crime and Operations Command carried out a review of both investigations in September 2014. Detectives combed through a series of ID photos from the British Army before identifying Khoorban as a suspect. When he was arrested in November 2014, police linked his DNA to the attacks. He had not previously been on the DNA database because he had not been in trouble with police. Jailing him at Snaresbrooke Crown Court for 16 years, Judge Sheelagh Canavan said Khoorban was a 'violent sexual predator' who had ruined his victims' lives. She said: 'The damage you have caused these women and no doubt will continue to cause will last the rest of their lives. They are serving a life sentence. 'The younger girl was 16 with her whole life to look forward to and she is moving forward with this over her. 'The second victim has been traumatised by what you did to her. Nothing I can say or do will change that. 'You are a violent sexual predator, I have no doubt you were excited by your use of violence which was far beyond anything that was needed to achieve your purpose.' During the hearing, the court heard how Khoorban had raped his first victim during a night out when she was marking the end of her GCSEs. The soldier had asked his victim to go upstairs to talk and she agreed because her feet were hurting after dancing in high heels. The court heard how the subsequent attack was so violent that the teenager had to be rushed to hospital to be treated for her injuries. Judge Sheelagh Canavan said: 'I doubt anyone who was there will forget the sight of that young girl as she ran from the scene of the attack.' The court heard how police had launched a manhunt for Khoorban after the first rape, releasing an e-fit in a public appeal. Wanted: At the time of the attack, police released this grainy CCTV footage showing Khoorban (right) leaving the club . The first rape took place in Equinox nightclub - which has now been replaced by a casino - in London's Leicester Square (file picture - club not pictured) But Khoorban, who was based with the Royal Artillery's 16th Regiment at Woolwich barracks at the time, was not caught. Instead, two months later, he targeted another woman after prowling the Greenwich area armed with a knife. In a desperate attempt to protect herself, the victim told Khoorban she was pregnant and had AIDS. But Khoorban shoved his hand over her mouth, thrust the knife into her face and punched her repeatedly, knocking out her teeth and leaving her with permanent scarring. After raping her, Khoorban told the woman to wait in the bushes for ten minutes to allow him time to escape. He threatened to 'finish her' off if she moved. The court heard how the victim told police it was 'like an eagle had landed on me'. The court heard how, during his time in the army, Khoorban once bit off part of a comrade's earlobe and broke his nose. He hit another soldier in the face and punched a third so many times he lost consciousness. But the soldier, who served in Northern Ireland, Cyprus and Germany, never faced a civil or military charges for these offences. He was only discharged from the army in 2007 for using cocaine. Several years after the attacks, he was also  diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and depression. In court, the defendant acknowledged he was not suffering mental health problems at the time of the attacks in 2003. Christopher Amis, defending, said his client wanted forgiveness from his victims, but was not expecting it. He told the court: 'There's nothing I can say to undo what this defendant visited on these two victims, nothing can put matters right and absolutely nothing that can turn back the clock.' He added: 'He entered pleas of guilty, he has not prevaricated and whatever else he's done he has at least spared these two victims of these appalling crimes the ordeal of having to give evidence in front of a jury. 'He served in the army for a number of years and while it's true he was discharged in circumstances relating to the taking of cocaine, it's also right that there's no evidence that whilst he was serving in the army he did anything other than discharge his duty satisfactorily.' Mr Amis said Khoorban also recognised that he had been 'a bad person' for carrying out the attacks. Khooban was based at Woolwich barracks (pictured) in south east London at the time of the attacks in 2003 . 'I asked him why he did it and he said "I was a bad person in those days, I recognise it and I say it, I don't recognise myself now as the person I was then"', he told the court. 'I asked him if there was anything he wished me to say that he felt he would want said, he said: "I just want forgiveness, I'm not expecting it, I don't deserve it but I want it and I need it". 'He acknowledges that he will never be forgiven for these appalling offences and that's a burden he will carry the burden for the rest of his days.' Mr Amis added that Khoorban was on the point of refusing to come into court to face his two victims. Khoorban, who appeared in the dock in a dark green prison tracksuit and a full beard, sat with his head in his hands and sighed throughout the hearing. The former soldier, from East Ham, London, will also have to sign  the sex offender's register indefinitely. After the hearing, investigating officer Detective Sergeant Matt Flynn praised the bravery of the two victims. He said: 'Both young women were subjected to horrific and gratuitous ordeals at the hands of a dangerous and predatory individual. 'The devastating affect of these attacks on both women is indescribable. For the past 12 years they have had to get on with their lives knowing their attacker was still out there. 'It is only due to their courage and fortitude that Khoorban was charged with these abhorrent and cowardly attacks. Without their support he would not have been brought to justice.'
target: Solomon Khoorban, 33, raped teen at club after punching her unconscious .
  He then raped second victim, 32, at knifepoint in the bushes in Greenwich .
  Both crimes reported at time but it took 12 years to trace him through DNA .
  He has been jailed for 16 years after pleading guilty to three counts of rape .