An Ilkeston man who stalked the streets of his home town before raping and trying to murder a woman has been jailed for life.

Anthony Dealey attacked his victim at around 3.40am on November 26, 2017, as she walked home from a night out.

The attack took place in Queen's Avenue in the town, but a court heard Dealey had been stalking the streets before finding the woman and carrying out a "brutal sex attack".

He forced her to the floor and raped her, throttling her and leaving her for dead, Derbyshire Live reports.

The 43-year-old, of Erewash Square, Ilkeston, will serve a minimum of 13-and-a-half years in prison.

Sentencing him at Derby Crown Court this afternoon, Judge Nirmal Shant QC said: “You present significant risk of serious harm to the public. You are a dangerous offender.”

Judge Shant added: “This was a brutal attack on a lone female who was walking home. You had clearly been prowling around looking for a victim and you found one.

“What you did thereafter is beyond words.

“You attacked her from behind, dragged her into a nearby park, pulled her skirt up and her tights down.

“At that stage you had her hands around her throat and she felt she was going to die.

Anthony Dealey has been found guilty of rape and attempted murder
Anthony Dealey has been found guilty of rape and attempted murder

“You continued to squeeze your hands around her throat, she was choking all the time thinking she was going to die.

“You raped her, sexually assaulted her and the final indignity was that you took money from her handbag and left her to die.

“It can't be said if you strangled her for sexual gratification but what can be said is that there is no doubt you were trying to kill her.”

Dealey denied rape and attempted murder but a jury took less than three hours to find him guilty of both following a trial in September.

The trial heard he worked at Spondon firm Accrofab, which provides parts for the aeronautical industry.

A former colleague gave evidence and said Dealey on a number of occasions talked about the case and what happened.
