A rapist who shattered a woman's skull and left her "for dead" in a children's play park in Leicester has been jailed for life.
Zakarya Etarghi 24 was sentenced at Leicester Crown Court today (Monday 25 March) to life imprisonment. He will serve a minimum of 18 years before he is eligible for parole.
He has also been ordered to be on the sex offenders register for life.
He attacked his victim in a play park in Cedar Road, Leicester during the early hours of 3 August 2018. She was later found by a member of the public and taken to hospital where she was treated for life-threatening injuries from which she is still recovering.
After fleeing the scene, Etarghi was arrested by police in Stoke-on-Trent, where he had gone into hiding. He was identified through forensic analysis taken from items found at the scene. He was seen on CCTV buying alcohol from a nearby shop prior to carrying out the attack and then later on a street close to the park, making off from the scene.
Etarghi, of no fixed address was found guilty of attempted murder and rape on Wednesday 6 March following a trial at Leicester Crown Court.
Detective Inspector Mark Sinski, the senior investigating officer, said: “Immediately after carrying out the attack, Etarghi knew he was a wanted man and attempted to go into hiding.
“However, he has been brought to justice and is now facing a substantial prison sentence for what was a brutal and horrific crime. His victim is still recovering from the injuries she suffered and I can only hope that she has taken some comfort from the fact that Etarghi is now behind bars.”