“Violent bully” who murdered loving Wolverhampton father and raped two women faces life sentence

A man who carried out a vicious attack on a loving father from Wolverhampton and left him to die in the street is set to face a life sentence for his murder.

Carl Ellitts admitted the murder of 48-year-old Roy Deeley-Price when he appeared at Wolverhampton Crown Court.

Deeley-Price had been found with serious injuries in Tettenhall Road on 29 May last year and was tragically confirmed dead at the scene.

The 26-year-old also admitted three further robberies, an assault with intention to rob and was found guilty of raping two women following a trial which concluded yesterday (Thursday 25 January). Ellitts will be sentenced on February 12.

Murder

West Midlands Police officers revealed they worked hard in the investigation and secured CCTV which proved crucial.

“It showed Ellitts approach Mr Deeley-Price as he had visited an ATM at a nearby petrol station on Tettenhall Road to withdraw cash shortly before 10pm on the evening of May 28.

“CCTV showed the two men engaging in conversation before they both left the forecourt area. Footage captured the two men grappling before Ellitts tripped Mr Deeley- Price, holding him on the ground on his back and by his throat.

“He then stamped on Mr Deeley’s head and face up to six times knocking him unconscious before kicking him again to the head.”

Ellitts walked away but less than a minute later returned and dragged Deeley-Price’s body into a nearby bush before carrying out another vicious attack on him. His body was discovered the following morning.

A post-mortem revealed Mr Deeley-Price had suffered multiple blunt force injuries to his face and head.

Through CCTV enquiries made as result of Deeley-Price’s murder, detectives were able to identify and piece together a string of offences against vulnerable people that were committed by Ellitts in a violent four-day rampage leading up to the murder.

WMP

Rape attacks

Days before the attack on Deeley-Price, Ellitts had raped a woman on St Peter’s Square in Wolverhampton.

She had approached him asking for a spliff in the early hours of May 26. Ellitts led her to some bushes and after they had smoked a spliff together he raped her. She escaped from him and ran for assistance from a bouncer at a nearby nightclub.

“CCTV showed Ellitts chasing a woman. The footage showed he was wearing a striped T- shirt,” confirmed police.

“When we arrested, Ellitts he was wearing a T-shirt which matched the description worn on the night of the rape.”

On the same morning he had robbed a man who had approached him. Ellitts wasn’t wearing shoes so the man took pity on him and offered assistance. He took him back to his house to let him use his facilities and he gave him some shoes.

Whilst there he demanded his bank card and pin. They went to a bank in Church Street in Wednesfield where the man who feared for his safety handed him £180.

Later that evening he carried out his second rape in Wolverhampton. His victim was a woman who approached him as she thought he was homeless. Ellitts put a cloth around her mouth and took her to a secluded location where he raped her.

She managed to escape from him and bravely reported the rape to a shopkeeper. CCTV outside the shop showed a man matching the description of Ellitts.

Robberies

The following day, in the evening of May 27, he carried out another robbery. The victim was carrying a bag containing £60 cash. CCTV captured him grabbing the victim’s bag causing him to be dragged along the floor before he ran off.

Then on May 28, the same day as Ellitts killed Deeley-Price, he assaulted a man with the intention of robbing him in Market Square. The man had withdrawn £60 from a cashpoint before he was approached by Ellitts who walked beside him.

“In a tragic turn of events this victim died of an unrelated cause in the weeks following the robbery,” a police statement read.

“This meant that despite reporting the matter to police he never saw justice be done.”

Ellitts then stood in front of him holding a silver object in his hand which he later told officers was a Baaz, an item used by Sikh men to set their turbans. He then threatened the man saying he would stab him if he refused to give him money. He pushed the Baaz on his stomach. The victim managed to push Ellitts away and ran into a nearby shop.

On the afternoon of the same day Ellitts had targeted another victim on the Tettenhall Road kicking him to the floor, and putting a broken glass to his face. He then removed the victim’s Nike trainers from his feet.

Manhunt and arrest

Police launched a manhunt and arrested Ellitts on 30 May, after appealing to the local community. Police received information as to his whereabouts and he was taken into custody. He refused to make any comment when officers questioned him.

Detective Inspector Damian Forrest, from the force’s Major Crime Unit Homicide team said: “Ellitts is an extremely violent bully who carried out a number of robberies and two rapes all targeted against vulnerable people in Wolverhampton before he attacked Mr Deeley-Price leaving him to die in the street.

“We are delighted with the verdict. Although this will never bring Roy back and it will not heal the family’s sense of loss, I hope securing convictions on all counts with sentencing to come will be justice.

“I would also like to commend the bravery of the two women who Ellitts raped. They courageously came to court during the trial and gave evidence, securing convictions for all his cowardly crimes.

“Lastly I would like to thank the communities of Wolverhampton that provided our investigation with information and assistance that allowed us to convict Ellitts of his crimes.”