LEO DEL PELLEGRINO, OFFENDER FROM SHEFFIELD, SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL OFFENCES AND OBSCENE MATERIALS

In September 2017, Leo Del Pellegrino, 26, of School Lane, Addlestone, Surrey, appeared at Sheffield Crown Court via video link from prison to be sentenced for possessing extreme pornographic images. This followed a previous conviction in July 2017, where the court sentenced him to 22 years for a violent sexual assault on a Sheffield student. Del Pellegrino had been found guilty of nine counts of rape, one count of attempted rape, and one count of sexual assault by penetration.

Today, he faced additional charges—six counts in total—relating to the possession of extreme pornographic videos and images. He pleaded guilty to all six counts at an earlier hearing, and the court sentenced him to an additional ten and a half years, to run concurrently with his existing prison term. These materials were uncovered after his arrest related to the sexual attack he committed on a student in Sheffield last year.

Earlier in July 2017, Del Pellegrino was described as a 'dangerous monster' and was sentenced for a five-hour assault on a woman he met via a dating app. The jury found him guilty of 11 sex offences, including nine rapes and one attempted rape, after a trial that lasted just under a day. Judge Julian Goose QC sentenced him to 17 years in prison with an extended license of five years, citing the 'serious risk' he poses to the public.

His conviction covered the attack that took place on November 7 of the previous year, as well as eight other offences he admitted earlier involving extreme pornography depicting women being raped at knifepoint. Before the trial began, Del Pellegrino pleaded guilty to six counts of possessing indecent images of children and extreme pornography, receiving a concurrent 10-year sentence.

The court revealed that prior to the attack, Del Pellegrino and several colleagues—who were on a work trip to Sheffield—dined together. During the evening, he searched various dating profiles for a victim. Judge Goose remarked, "In effect, you were casting a net to see which woman you might find," adding: "[You were motivated by] your clear obsession with pornography of real rape."

Investigations uncovered that Del Pellegrino had used search terms like 'Asian rape' and 'real rape video' on his computer before the incident. He eventually contacted a Chinese national studying in Sheffield, convincing her to meet outside a shop near her home. Gaining access to her flat by pretending to use the bathroom, he carried out a horrific assault lasting about five hours. He repeatedly raped her, restrained her by tying her hands, strangled her, slashed her back with a craft knife, and wrote obscene graffiti on her body.

He further humiliated her by taking degrading pictures and threatened to circulate the images online and send them to her contacts. Judge Goose stated, “Your sole purpose was to humiliate her. It was your purpose that she didn’t consent. It was your desire because, I believe, you were acting out the images you had seen on the internet. You were seeking to carry out your fantasies of real rape.” The judge emphasized that the victim’s trauma would likely be both permanent and profound.

The attack concluded when the victim managed to escape. The court highlighted the overwhelming evidence against Del Pellegrino and acknowledged their gratitude to the jury for their verdict. Senior Crown Prosecutor Claire MacDonald described him as a 'very serious danger to women' and noted the significant suffering inflicted during the prolonged, degrading assault. She added, “The terror and suffering Del Pellegrino inflicted on his victim is unimaginable. He subjected his victim to a violent, prolonged and degrading series of sexual acts, including multiple rapes during which he daubed her with obscene graffiti using a marker pen and sharp implement.

Today’s convictions resulted in a lengthy sentence, and Del Pellegrino will serve at least two-thirds of his 17-year term before being eligible for parole. He was also subjected to a sexual harm prevention order to protect the public from future offences.