“Dangerous” Derbyshire man jailed for 11 years after ‘brutal’ attack where he raped and strangled his victim

Habib Khan lured the woman into a block of flats in Derby in the early hours of November 10, 2022. While in the stairwell of the flats, Khan grabbed her, raped her and throttled her – leaving her fearing he was going to kill her.

He then stole her bag which contained her bank card, house keys and around £15, before leaving the scene.

The woman reported the incident to police immediately which allowed officers to secure vital forensic evidence that led to his arrest. DNA samples taken from the woman matched Khan, helping to provide key evidence that he was the man who had raped her.

Khan was subsequently charged with rape, assault by penetration, intentional strangulation and theft.

In a victim impact statement, the woman detailed the impact the rape has had on her. She said: “What happened to me is difficult to put into words. I thought no one would believe this had happened to me and I never thought the person who did this would be found.

“Since that night I have struggled everyday. I get scared when someone is walking behind me in the street. Even going to the shops I will be looking behind me to see if someone’s there.

“I found going to court really hard and stressful. I am very thankful to the courts, the police and the officer supporting me through this. Without him I would never have gone through with this.

“The best experience of my life was when the police officer asked me to sit down and told me the jury believed me and he had been found guilty.

“No one deserves what he put me through and he should be stopped from ever doing this again.”

The 22-year-old, of Moyne Gardens, Derby, denied the offences and told the court the sex had been consensual, but a jury unanimously found him guilty on Friday, December 8 after a trial at Derby Crown Court.

He appeared at the same court on January 25, where he was sentenced to 11 years in prison with a six year extension for dangerousness. He has also been ordered to sign the sex offender’s register and handed a restraining order preventing him from having any contact with the victim.

Detective Constable Michael Verdi, who led the case, said: “Khan is a very dangerous individual who attacked a complete stranger walking home from a night out.

“I’m pleased that he is now behind bars for a considerable amount of time and that the judge included an extended sentence to recognise the very real threat he poses.

“The woman Khan attacked so brutally has understandably been left struggling to come to terms with what happened but I hope that knowing he is now in prison for some considerable time will allow her to begin to try and move on from this devastating ordeal.

“She has shown incredible courage throughout the investigation and trial and it is testament to her bravery that we have been able to get this result in court.

“I’d also encourage anyone who may have been a victim of rape or sexual assault to come forward and speak to us. It doesn’t matter how long ago the offence took place, we will listen without judgement, support you and work to bring those responsible to justice.”

There is a Rape and Sexual Assault reporting tool on the Derbyshire Police website. You can report something that's happened to you, or to someone else, and it can be accessed here. You can report anonymously, without giving your details.

Alternatively, you can contact the force using the following methods:

Facebook – send a private message to /DerbyshireConstabulary

Twitter – direct message the force’s contact centre on @DerPolContact

Website – complete the online contact form

Phone – call 101

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 here or via their advice line 01773 746 115 (open 8.00am – 5.00pm), regardless of whether you wish to report an incident to police or not.