Sheffield Crown Court: Prowler pummeled 75-year-old woman 'black and blue' as he tried to rape her in her home

Sheffield Crown Court heard on November 10 how sex attacker Monjur Khan, aged 32, of Rookwood bail hostel, in East Dene, Rotherham, had been knocking on doors in Rotherham before he found his victim who fought tooth-and-nail as she was punched and strangled in her own home until her son rescued her.

Judge Peter Kelson KC told Khan: “I am satisfied on the evidence before me you were targeting females and knocking on doors until you discovered a female.” He added: “You were seeking out females and you were seeking them out with a view to committing grave sexual offences against them.”

Prosecuting barrister Gordon Stables explained Khan had spoken to one woman outside her home and had struggled to get inside her property before he left and approached other properties until he forced his way into the home of his 75-year-old victim where he attacked her and attempted to rape her. Father-of-two Khan claimed he had been looking for someone, according to Mr Stables, before his victim tried to close her door but he pushed her back inside and punched her repeatedly to the face and then began strangling her.

Mr Stables said: “She thought ‘I have got to fight or he is going to kill me’, and she did fight and she fought him continually in every way she could. During the ordeal she scratched his face with her finger nails. She remembers thinking she was going to die and wanted to ensure there was DNA for the police.”

The complainant also tried to pull Khan’s hands from her neck and she tried to bite him and pull hair from the defendant’s beard, according to Mr Stables. Mr Stables said Khan pulled his victim’s skirt up and kept punching and strangling her and she recalled being strangled three times as she shouted for help and passed out.

The complainant’s son entered her home and found his mother laid on her back with her genitals exposed, according to Mr Stables, and Khan had his trousers around his ankles with his genitals exposed before he managed to run away. Mr Stables said Khan’s victim suffered bruising and swelling to her face including two black eyes and she was drifting in and out of consciousness after the attack.

The court heard the complainant now suffers with post traumatic stress disorder and a depressive disorder, and the effects of her ordeal are expected to stay with her for the rest of her life.

Mr Stables said during a visit to another property during the same day Khan had claimed to be a council workman but had been refused entry and police were alerted. Officers carried out area searches before a stun-gun was deployed and Khan was detained, according to Mr Stables.

Khan, who has previous convictions including 40 offences, pleaded guilty to the attempted rape, and to two counts of attempting to commit sexual offences at the homes of two other women whose properties he had visited during February 26, 2022. None of the complainants can be named for legal reasons. The court heard that among Khan’s previous offences is a 2009 conviction for a sexual assault after he had molested a 71-year-old woman in a lift at a block of flats.

Defence barrister Richard Gibbs said: “While trying to explain his behaviour there is evidence of remorse and I am instructed by Mr Khan that he is remorseful particularly for the victims of his behaviour.”

Mr Gibbs added: “He is a man with deep-seated difficulties and let it be clear alcohol and drugs have played their part, but that problem does not emanate from alcohol and drugs, it emanates from his inability to control his sexual urges.” He said: “This is a man with a dark present and a dark past and his future will be dictated by the sentence the court passes.”

Judge Kelson said Khan was a ‘disturbed man’ who had failed to understand his offending after the defendant had commented to a probation officer that he would like to buy his victim a box of chocolates, some flowers or even a card to make up for what he had done. He told Khan that his victim had been ‘pummeled black-and-blue’ and he had strangled her into unconsciousness and that he was ‘completely warped’.

Judge Kelson sentenced Khan to 15 years of custody in addition to a five-year extension on his licence period after the defendant has been deemed to be a dangerous offender. He explained Khan must serve two-thirds of the 15-year term before he can be considered for release and he will remain under licence for 20 years. Khan was also made subject to an indefinite restraining order banning him from the town of Rotherham.