Sexual predator who broke into houses guilty of sex assaults Published duration 29 March 2017

image copyright Lancashire Police image caption Zsolt Suhaj mostly targeted bungalows, entering through insecure windows and doors

A sexual predator has been found guilty of breaking into women's homes in order to assault them.

Zsolt Suhaj, 25, who raped a 66-year-old, was branded every woman's "worst nightmare" by a judge.

He told Preston Crown Court the woman he raped had consented to sex and requested he enter through her bedroom window - a claim police said was "offensive".

Suhaj was convicted of a string of similar offences after a trial.

These included the sexual assault of a 70-year-old, and several counts of trespassing with intent to commit a sexual offence.

'Standing over woman'

The court heard Hungarian national Suhaj entered addresses in the Colne and Nelson areas of Lancashire last year.

He mostly targeted bungalows, entering through insecure windows and doors during the early hours.

In one of the incidents, the boyfriend of a sleeping woman found Suhaj standing over her as she was fast asleep.

He threw his mobile phone at Suhaj as he made his escape through the bedroom window.

The court heard there were further reports of women, aged between 22 and 84, waking to find Suhaj in their homes.

Judge Sara Dodd said it was every woman's "worst nightmare" as she adjourned sentencing until 27 April.

Suhaj was arrested at his home in Barkerhouse Road, Nelson, following the rape after detectives released CCTV images and staff at a local takeaway recognised him.

During the trial, it emerged the defendant had similar previous convictions in Canada from 2012 when he committed a number of offences in Toronto.

It is understood Suhaj was placed on the Canadian sex offender database and was then deported to his home country after he served a custodial sentence.

In May 2013 he was convicted of theft in Hungary and travelled to the UK to stay with family members in east Lancashire.

He was found guilty of rape, sexual assault, trespassing with intent to commit a sexual offence at five homes and attempting to trespass with intent at another home.

Related Topics Hungary

Canada

Nelson

Colne