The man allegedly murdered by a resident after being found inside a Newcastle house had previously been convicted for raping a teenage girl after entering her home late at night.

In what will increase the passionate debate about the murder charge laid against resident Benjamin Batterham, Fairfax Media can reveal that his alleged victim Ricky Slater-Dickson was sentenced to a minimum four years' jail for the 2007 attack on a16-year-old girl in South Tamworth.

The rape followed years of other offending, with Slater-Dickson's lengthy criminal history, tendered in court, detailing convictions for drugs, assault, theft and driving offences.