A DOUBLE sex attacker was caught by specialist police officers paid for with cash from council tax increases, it has emerged.

Ten officers posing as couples carried out surveillance on a canal-side path in Blackburn after rapist Lee Anthony Nield struck in the same spot twice in two days.

Using detailed descriptions given by his victims, officers caught unemployed Nield as he returned to the site in February for the third night in a row.

He was arrested by a snatch squad.

The 20-year-old, of Rockliffe Street, Blackburn, was carrying cord and a sock – having previously bound and gagged one of his victims.

Detective Chief Inspector Neil Hunter, of the force major incident team, said Nield may not have been caught so quickly had it not been for extra officers paid for by an increase in the police precept section of council tax.

DCI Hunter said: “The money was used wisely and our inquiry team was given extra staff. This allowed us to carry out static observations, along with stop and check teams.

“We anticipated all his possible approach routes to the towpath where the attacks had occurred and we watched everyone who used the path.

“Anyone fitting the description was stopped.”

He added: “The victims showed tremendous courage, strength and determination. As a result of their detailed descriptions our team swung into action as soon as we saw Nield.”

Policing across the county was boosted by £5million by a rise in the 2007/08 budget, £3million of which came from an increase in council tax.

Some money paid for an extra 18 detective constables – five of whom were deployed to Eastern and Pennine divisions. These officers were involved in catching Nield.

DCI Hunter said: “The extra officers meant we were not draining other resources on what would be a busy night in the town centre. This is an excellent example of how the extra funding has been used. I am convinced Nield would have attacked a further victim that night.”

Nield has admitted one charge of rape, two of sexual assault and two of actual bodily harm. He will be sentenced later this year.