Serial rapist jailed after woman and teenager targeted in Derby attacks

A serial sex attacker who raped two women and attempted to rape a teenage girl has been jailed for 24 years.

The latest of Alex King’s attacks took place in September 2023 when a teenage girl was attacked by King after he offered to help after the car she was travelling in had broken down.

The now 27-year-old told his victim that he was going to take her back to her home – instead he subjected her to a terrifying series of rapes and threatened to kill her. 

He eventually let the teenager out of the car and she managed to flag down a member of the public who called police.

But in a bizarre set of circumstances King rang police a short time later – explaining that he had simply been a good Samaritan and a girl had attempted to blackmail him.

The two incidents were swiftly linked, and King was arrested at his home in Dudley Drive, Littleover.

With King in custody officers from the force’s specialist rape team found significant similarities between the case they were investigating and an incident that had occurred in Littleover the previous month.

In that incident a teenage girl had reported that a man in a dark coloured car had attempted to drag her into his car in Chain Lane, Littleover.

She had managed to fight him off and escape – and he had driven off.

Officers made enquiries about King’s movements on that night and found that his black BMW matched the description of the offenders car – and he had been caught on his doorbell CCTV camera leaving his home in the timeframe the offence took place.

With the two offences now linked detectives were concerned that King may have been the perpetrator in other offences. His home gave him easy access to the A38 and a trawl of offences with similar circumstances was conducted with surrounding forces.

It was through that trawl that officers linked King to a reported rape in Newark in September 2019 where a teenager reported to police that she had been raped by a man following a party.

Initially no charges had been brought, however, after the victim was contacted again she was able to confirm that King was the man who had attacked her.

King was eventually charged with four counts of rape for the September 2023 incident, one count of attempted rape for the August attack, and one count of rape for the 2018 incident.

He eventually pleaded guilty to all offences and today (24 February), at Derby Crown Court, he was jailed for 24 years with an extended licence period of six years. He will also be on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life.

In an impact statement read to the court by the survivor of the September 2023 incident – she explained how she had been left requiring medication and therapy to cope with the impact of his crimes. She said: “I cry often and when I cry, it’s difficult to stop.

“I have had thoughts that I don’t feel that I should be here. I think about how that night could have been my last night on this planet and now I feel lost. I have a constant dull pain in my stomach and my heart aches.

“I returned to my life but it’s not the life I recognise anymore.

“I’m still mentally and physically paying the price for what you did to me. It’s just so hard. I feel alone like I did that night. The pain doesn’t get any easier.

“Despite everything that happened to me that night and how it has hugely impacted my life in every aspect since, I do not believe you won – I am here when I thought that night would be my last.

“I hope that you are given the punishment you deserve and give me and the people before me the justice we deserve.”

DC Chloe Price, who was the lead officer in bringing King to justice, said: “Alex King is among the most dangerous offenders I have come across.

“I have no doubt that had he not been arrested he would have continued offending – and it is not overstating the risk to say that lives would have been at risk had he not been stopped.

“The three survivors of King’s offending have shown immense courage and I can only thank them for their continued support for the investigations which has resulted in today’s significant sentence.”

There is a Rape and Sexual Assault reporting tool to our website. Here you can report something that's happened to you, or to someone else. To access it visit: https://www.derbyshire.police.uk/ro/report/rsa/alpha-v1/v1/rape-sexual-assault-other-sexual-offences/

You can report anonymously, without giving us your details. We won't judge you; we'll treat you with respect, and we'll always put your health and wellbeing first.

Alternatively, you can contact us using the following methods:

• Facebook– send us private message to the Derbyshire Constabulary Facebook page
• Phone – call us on 101

The Derbyshire SARC provides free, confidential healthcare, and compassionate support for adults who have experienced any form of sexual assault.

Their helpline is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year and can be contacted on 0300 223 0099.

Call to speak with a nurse. If you're not ready to report to police, that's ok. The SARC takes self-referrals, as well as referrals from professionals, and can make sure you get the help, support and guidance you need.

Find out more at: https://millfieldhousesarc.co.uk/

If you have been affected by a similar crime, whether recent or non-recent, and would like some support you can contact SV2 – a Derbyshire based organisation who support victims of sexual violence.

You can contact them online www.sv2.org.uk or via their advice line 01773 746 115 (open 8am – 5pm) regardless of whether you wish to report an incident to police.