Man 'raped, strangled and left complete stranger for dead in premeditated attack'

Anthony Dealey denies targetting woman he did not know in 'obscene' assault in Derbyshire

An artist's impression of the suspect as described by prosecutors as 'sinister' at Derby Crown Court (Derbyshire Constabulary)

A married father-of-two raped and strangled a complete stranger in a “premeditated” attack before leaving her for dead, a court has heard.

Anthony Dealey was arrested after his victim, who is in her 30s, was found face down on a residential street in Ilkeston, Derbyshire, in November last year.

Derby Crown Court heard that DNA left on the victim's clothes was “more than a billion times” more likely to be that of the 42-year-old defendant than anyone else.

The prosecution said the woman was subjected to enough significant pressure on her neck to endanger her life during the attack, an action which left her in a “wretched and pitiful state”.

It is alleged the victim was raped, assaulted and robbed of money from a handbag she was carrying during the incident.

Dealey had told police he had been out that night after visiting his brother before returning home to bed with his wife.

However, the court was told he had taken an “unusual interest” in reports about the attack and had spoken about it “inappropriately” in phone conversations.

The woman described her attacker to an FBI-trained artist, who provided what the prosecution described as a “sinister image” of a white man in a grey hooded top with part of his face covered.

Addressing the jury panel on Monday, prosecutor Gordon Aspden said: “The subject matter of the trial you are about to deal with is disturbing and extremely unpleasant.”

Opening the Crown's case against Dealey, Mr Aspden said: “Where was this defendant? Was he at home in bed asleep at 3.40am as you might have expected?

“The answer to that members of the jury is no, he was not. He was out and about on foot stalking the silent streets of the town.

“Unbeknown to [the victim] by now, she was being watched.”

Mr Aspden continued: ”She turned her head briefly but did not recognise him. He was a complete stranger.

“It is the crown's case that the man who was watching her and following her was Anthony Dealey.

“Suddenly (the victim) heard footsteps and deep breathing very close behind her. Moments later, she was violently attacked.”

Describing the attack, Mr Aspden told jurors the assault allegedly carried out by Dealey was a “brutal sexual attack” in which he carried out a “premeditated attack of strangulation.”

Addressing the events after the attack, Mr Aspden said: “The aftermath of this rape was an obscene spectacle. He left her for dead in that wretched and pitiful state.”

Speaking of the DNA matches, Mr Aspden continued: “A fingerprint expert compared prints with an unidentified male found on the handbag. They matched.

”It was a billion times more likely that the mixture of DNA found on the waistband had come from this defendant and [the victim] rather than someone else.”

Dealey, of Erewash Square, Ilkeston, denies attempted murder, rape, assault by penetration and robbery.

The trial continues.

Additional reporting by PA