Convicted rapist jailed again for raping teenager in Blackpool alleyway
Anthony Croft has been given a life sentence
Last updated 19th Mar 2026
A convicted rapist who sexually assaulted a teenage girl in an alleyway in Blackpool has been given a life sentence.
52-year-old Anthony Croft had just been released from prison a month before the attack, after serving 21-years for raping a child.
The judge described him as someone who "must be amongst a handful of the most dangerous sex offenders in the Country".
The court heard how Croft latched onto his victim in bars in Blackpool, buying her drinks and following her.
He followed her from the town centre to the Claremont area of North Shore as she walked home.
Croft then dragged her into an alcove in an alleyway and sexually assaulted her.
She managed to fight him off and run to a nearby house for help.
Croft was identified through facial recognition, as CCTV caught the attack on camera.
The sentencing judge described the CCTV footage as some of the "most chilling" he had ever seen.
Croft has been jailed for kidnap and sexual assault and must serve eight years before he's considered for parole.