Man admits unrelated sex attacks

Newton admitted the offences during the court hearing

A 55-year-old man has pleaded guilty to rape and attempted murder after two attacks he committed nine years apart in West Yorkshire.

David Newton, of Knottingley, appeared at Bradford Crown Court via video link charged with the rape of a girl, 16, in Leeds in 1997.

He admitted the false imprisonment of an 11-year-old boy in the same incident at Primrose Valley, Halton.

Newton also admitted attempted murder and attempted rape of a woman in 2006.

The second incident took place on Ilkley Moor.

Newton was arrested in the Hayle area of Cornwall in June.

He was remanded in custody and will appear at Bradford Crown Court for sentencing on 24 October.

Knifepoint rape

The father-of-four was arrested earlier this year after a manhunt following an attack on a 52-year-old woman on Ilkley Moor in June 2006.

The victim was walking her dog when she was knocked to the ground and punched in the face until she lost consciousness.

When the woman came too, she was being strangled and lost consciousness again.

Detectives said the woman had suffered an "horrific attack".

Officers investigating that incident later found the attacker was the same man who raped a 16-year-old girl at knifepoint in Halton, Leeds in 1997 and forced her brother to lie in bushes nearby.

The attack happened as the children searched for frogspawn.

Newton was arrested in the summer in the Hayle area of Cornwall following a nationwide manhunt sparked by new information received by West Yorkshire Police.