Sick Derby serial sex attacker on 'savage sexual mission' had 'corrupted fantasies'

A serial sex attacker who set out on a "savage sexual mission" targeting three strangers, including a 14-year-old girl, raping one victim repeatedly, has been jailed for 22 years.

"Dangerous" Ilija High attacked three women after watching pornography, raping an 18-year-old woman three times in a nature reserve in Darley Abbey, Derby.

He then attempted to rape a girl, aged 14 and a woman, 28, in separate attacks in the same nature reserve in Spondon.

The 23-year-old from Chaddesden in Derby, was said to have "corrupted fantasies" with prosecutor Clive Stockwell adding that High had a fetish for having sex with strangers.

High pleaded guilty to seven sexual crimes against the victims, as well as four offences of possessing indecent images or videos of children and one count of possessing extreme pornographic images involving animals.

These included three counts of rape, three counts of attempted rape, one assault, and three counts of making indecent photographs of a child.

The attacks sparked a large-scale manhunt by Derbyshire Police with up to 40 officers and staff working on the case at any one time.

Judge Robert Egbuna called High "pure evil" and was described as having an "appetite for rape" at Derby Crown Court.

"At the time you committed these offences, you were not suffering from any mental disorder," he said reported the BBC.

"Your predilection for watching depraved material led you to attack in the most frightful and devastating manner. You, Mr High, are a dangerous offender."

In footage released by Derbyshire police, High told officers after his: "Right, well I'm here to confess to three crimes - two sexual assaults and one rape."

The first attack happened nearly three years ago before he was linked to two 2015 attacks after police found DNA on a piece of pink bubble gum High had put in a bin.

This DNA matched material left at the scene of the Darley Park rape and an earlier assault of the 14-year-old girl. In March the constabulary launched a manhunt and after a tip-off police visited High's home the following day and obtained a DNA sample.

High handed himself in the next day and even explained how one victim pleaded with him not to sexually assault her and take her iPad instead.

A victim impact statement made by the youngest victim and read to the court said:"I want him to know the damage he has done. Before I was very confident and always out, sociable and happy. What happened destroyed my confidence.

"I have a real fear of strangers. I hate the dark. I spent over two years looking at everyone, wondering if it was him. I was terrified of being attacked again."