X Factor rapist Phillip Blackwell joined show tour despite knowing he could be unmasked
Serial rapist Phillip Blackwell – who has previously admitting a total of 31 sexual offences – is expected to be sentenced today
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Former X Factor contestant Phillip Blackwell desired fame so much that he risked being identified as a rapist, a court heard today.
The ex supply teacher, 56, is facing a lengthy jail sentence after previously admitting a total of 31 sexual offences at Warwick Crown Court.
The serial rapist – who would be armed with a “rape kit”, which included gaffer tape and a video camera, when attacking women – appeared on the ITV talent show 12 years ago and later went on the show’s UK tour.
Adrian Langdale, prosecuting, told the court how the Blackwell was “happy” to risk being “identified” by touring with nation with the talent series – alongside the likes of Alexandra Burke and JLS – as he wanted “fame”.
Langdale told: “He went on the X Factor national tour. It would appear to be a risk to do this but was happy to take.
“He ran the risk of being identified outweighed his desire for fame.
“His offending continued after his two minutes of fame.”
Blackweel would often say to victims, “Don’t scream, I don’t want to hurt you” during the harrowing attacks across Birmingham and Nuneaton, Warks and the predator would compliment his victims by saying things such as “I want to marry you and make love to you”.
He would check his victims’ identification before telling them: “I know where you live.”
The aspiring singer also tried to hide his identity by speaking in an Irish accent.
After attacking strangers, he later targeted people he knew in Cornwall between the late 1990s until 2019.
In February, Blackwell pleaded guilty to sex offences against five women, four of which occurred in Birmingham over 1997 and 1998 and one in Nuneaton in May 1998.
He admitted four counts of rape, one count of attempted rape, five counts of indecent assault and one count of false imprisonment.
He previously appeared via video link where he pleaded guilty to a further 20 sexual offences against three women.
This included nine counts of rape, four counts of sexual assault, two counts of assault by penetration and three counts of voyeurism.
He also pleaded guilty to one count of taking indecent photographs of a child and another count of voyeurism in relation to that same child.
Blackwell, of Launceston, Cornwall, will be sentenced on Monday afternoon.
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