PREDATOR RAPED TWO WOMEN AND FACES LONG JAIL SENTENCE

A sexual predator, Anthony Curran, is facing a lengthy prison sentence after being convicted of raping two women in chilling attacks. Curran, aged 28 and residing on Ridley Avenue in Wallsend, was found guilty of both counts yesterday by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court after less than an hour of deliberation. The court had heard about the two separate incidents: one in December 2007 where Curran entered a house in Cullercoats, North Tyneside, through an unlocked door while the woman inside was sleeping, and another on waste ground after a nightclub encounter in Whitley Bay. Despite denying the first attack, Curran could not explain how his DNA was found at the scene. He admitted to the second assault but claimed the victim consented, although she described it as a terrifying attack. Prosecutors highlighted Curran’s prior conviction for rape from 2002, emphasizing that his offending was driven by the desire to exercise force and control over his victims rather than sexual desire. He was warned by Judge John Milford that he could face a life sentence, though his sentencing was scheduled for the following day. Curran’s actions have been described by prosecutors as the work of a sexual predator targeting vulnerable women, with the court emphasizing the seriousness of his crimes and the potential for a lengthy prison term.