Published:14:3807/03/2024
A man who targeted a young woman while she was on a night out has been jailed for rape – thanks to the swift action of officers and members of the public who came to her aid.
Everette Morgan singled out the 23-year-old woman while she was walking through Leicester city centre in the early hours of Saturday 9 September 2023.
Despite attempting to flee the scene a member of the public took a photo of the suspect and after the description was provided to police he was quickly arrested by nearby officers.
Morgan was subsequently charged with one count of rape and pleaded guilty to the offence at Leicester Crown Court on Monday 4 March – the day the trial was due to begin.
The 34-year-old, of Bisley Street, Leicester, was sentenced on Tuesday 5 March to six years and three months for the offence. He has also been placed on the sex offender register for life.
An additional one month was also added to the sentence for breach of a suspended sentence order for an unrelated offence.
The victim had been out drinking with friends when she was approached by Morgan shortly after 1am. After guiding her into an alleyway in Stamford Street, the defendant pushed the victim to the ground and raped her.
She was heard screaming for help and six people who were nearby came to her assistance.
As the defendant made off from the scene on his bike, one of the witnesses took a photo of him while another called the police.
The description of the suspect was provided to police and then passed through to the Leicester City Council CCTV control room.
Morgan was spotted on CCTV and tracked to the area of Jubilee Square. As an officer on patrol approached the suspect he attempted to flee on foot but was swiftly detained – around 12 minutes after the incident occurred.
Following his arrest, the investigation was handed to specialist detectives working in the force’s Signal team – a unit dedicated to investigating rapes and sexual assaults.
DC Adam Battley has been the officer in the case throughout and has worked tirelessly to pull together the mountain of evidence against Morgan while supporting the victim every step of the way.
He said: “The victim has shown incredible strength and courage throughout this horrific ordeal and I am pleased she has now been spared the added trauma of having to relive the details of that night in a trial. I hope now Morgan is behind bars she can begin to move forward with her life.
“The commitment of the witnesses who came to the aid of the woman is also truly commendable. The statements they provided have been crucial in this case and I believe their actions that night prevented any further offending.
“We take reports of this type of offence extremely seriously and will work with victims of rape and sexual abuse to not only build a strong a case as possible but also offer support and signposting to dedicated services.”
For more information about the help and support available to victims of rape or sexual assault, visit: https://www.leics.police.uk/ro/report/rsa/alpha-v1/advice/rape-sexual-assault-and-other-sexual-offences/