Detectives investigating the alleged murder of home invader Ricky Slater-Dickson are identifying a significant number of burglaries committed by him in the weeks leading up to his death, including a violent attack on a young woman after she woke to find the suspect in her bedroom.

The terrified 22-year-old woman was repeatedly punched during the home invasion in the inner Newcastle suburb of The Junction just one week before Slater-Dickson lay unresponsive in a neighbouring suburb after allegedly being choked by home owner Ben Batterham after he found the convicted rapist inside his house.

The victim identified Slater-Dickson as her attacker after seeing reports of his death, and her suspicions were confirmed when a mobile phone taken during her attack was found at the alleged murder scene in Hamilton.