A "vulnerable" woman's friends rushed to help her after she told them she was alone with a man she didn't know. The 18-year-old's pals called the police after being sent a series of "alarming" messages from her on Snapchat.
Officers used location data from her phone to find her near Canal Street, Nottingham, where she was found "in a distressed state", according to Nottinghamshire Police. A man was spotted a short distance away and arrested.
Details of the Attack
Joseph Healey, 44, had led the young woman to a canal footpath where he raped her on June 20 last year. He was sentenced to more than 12 years on Friday (June 19).
Detective Constable Melissa Starmer from Nottinghamshire Police said: "Healey is a dangerous and opportunistic offender who subjected a vulnerable young woman to a truly harrowing ordeal."
Healey had only been released on licence from prison the day before the rape, having been convicted previously for burglary and robbery.
CCTV Evidence and Guilty Plea
CCTV showed him leading the woman to a secluded spot behind the Nottingham One block of flats, which is next to the canal. Healey was homeless and sleeping by the canal at the time. He claimed the sex was consensual.
But he changed his story on the first day of his trial on December 8, 2025, and pleaded guilty to one count of rape.
Healey admitted giving the woman two tablets to treat anxiety, though it was accepted he had no sexual motive, according to the police. He was sentenced to 12 years and one month at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday (June 19).
Judge's Remarks
Judge Mark Watson described Healey as a dangerous offender who must serve at least two thirds of his sentence before he is eligible for parole. He would then be subject to an extended period on licence.
Detective Constable Starmer said: "Thanks to the third party report we received, we were able to get officers to the scene very quickly and detain this man before he had the chance to flee."
"He has been remanded in custody ever since and will now spend an extended period behind bars where he will not pose a risk to the women of Nottinghamshire."
