Rapist who murdered man given more jail time
A rapist who murdered a man by repeatedly stamping on his head has been given an increased sentence.
Carl Ellitts was jailed for life after attacking Roy Deeley-Price in a "tornado of violence" in Wolverhampton last year.
The 26-year-old was also convicted of four counts of raping two women, three separate robberies and assault with intention to rob following a four-day "rampage".
Judges increased the minimum term of his life sentence from 27 years to 35 years at the Court of Appeal on Tuesday.
Ellitts, of no fixed abode, was captured on CCTV approaching Mr Deeley-Price, 48, at a petrol station cashpoint on Tettenhall Road on 29 May 2023.
Wolverhampton Crown Court heard the defendant followed him before launching a deadly attack.
Ellitts took Mr Deeley-Price's bank card before attempting to buy a sandwich at the Shell garage.
After the card was declined, the court heard he returned to Mr Deeley-Price's body four times in the space of 11 minutes to continue his assault, kicking and stamping on his head at least 12 times.
Police managed to detain and arrest him on 30 May after an appeal and help from the community.
The two vulnerable women he raped suffered psychological harm including flashbacks and anxiety, the court heard.
Ellitt was initially handed a 10-year sentence for each count of rape to run concurrently, eight years to run concurrently for the robberies and three years for assault with intention to rob.
His sentence was referred to the Court of Appeal by the Attorney General's Office.
The killer appeared via video link from Full Sutton prison in Yorkshire.
Members of Mr Deeley-Price's family also attended the hearing remotely.
Bill Emlyn Jones KC, for the government, told the hearing in London that the total sentence had not been increased enough to factor in the rape cases and robberies.
The barrister said the attacks featured humiliating and degrading conduct with particularly vulnerable victims being preyed upon.
Lord Justice Stuart-Smith said Ellitts had an extremely concerning history of violence, particularly towards women, and that the murder featured senseless violence.
"That criminality is not, in our view, reflected in the sentence passed by the judge," he said.
'Extremely violent bully'
A trial judge previously amended Ellitts's minimum term to 28 and a half years due to an error in calculating credit for a guilty plea.
He was found guilty of raping two women after a trial but admitted the other offences, including murder.
Det Insp Damian Forrest, of West Midlands Police, said the force was pleased with the ruling.
"Ellitts remains an extremely violent bully," he said.
"It is right the community is protected from him for as long as possible.
“We hope this new ruling will help Mr Deeley-Price’s family as they come to terms with their loss as well as offer some comfort to Ellitts’ other victims.”
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