Judge sends ‘dangerous rapist’ to hospital to receive treatment

A dangerous rapist has been detained in hospital for treatment after a series of attacks on women – including a violent assault on a 72-year-old in her home.

Daniel Stip, 21, dragged the pensioner into her home in Paignton as she put her bins out on to the street ready for collection.

After raping her he laughed and stole a precious piece of jewellery containing her late husband’s ashes.

Just three days before he grabbed and attempted to rape a 25-year-old in the town but she had fought him off.

At that time he was wanted by police in Cambridge for the attempted rape and robbery of a university student some four months before.

After his arrest Stip told police: “I’ve killed, I’ve raped, I’ve stolen, everything.” The defendant, a paranoid schizophrenic originally from South Africa, was given a hospital order by a judge at Exeter Crown Court who described him as a danger to the public.

He said: “It’s clear on any view you’re presently dangerous and present a significant risk of causing further sexual offences against women.

“You conducted these actions against women who were strangers and while you were suffering from a serious mental disorder.”

Prosecutor Ms Heather Hope described the series of attacks.

She said the pensioner noticed a dishevelled-looking man loitering outside her house. He asked her if she had any dry socks before bundling her back into her home and raping her.

The victim was worried he might have a knife and get violent. During the attack he turned a family photo of her late husband to face the wall.

Before leaving Stip rifled through her jewellery box. She asked him to give back a chain with her late husband’s ashes in but he refused and laughed.

Three days before the January attack a 25-year-old listening to music on her earphones was grabbed from behind by a man in Victoria Park in Paignton.

“He put his hand over her mouth and dragged her to the ground, causing her to land heavily on her shoulder,” said Ms Hope.

She struggled and injured her finger punching Stip as he put his hands over her mouth to stop her screaming.

“She was able to shout ‘help’ and at that point the attacker got off and ran away,” said the prosecutor.

Police were able to trace Stip after viewing CCTV from a nearby Tesco. The footage showed him leaving the shop and initially chasing after a female jogger.

He closed in but gave up the chase when she bypassed the park. By analysing his phone police were later able to put him in the right place at the right time for the attack.

After the sentence Detective Sergeant Simon Lee, from the Sexual Offences and Domestic Abuse investigation Team, described Stip as “a dangerous individual” who targeted lone women in attempts to fulfil his sexual desires.

‘You were suffering from a serious mental disorder’

Exeter Crown Court judge