Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

UK man jailed for rape in 1990 after DNA match on another crime

UK man jailed for rape in 1990 after DNA match on another crime

Paul Shakespeare’s attack on an 18-year-old woman in Cheltenham left her so traumatised she did not tell her family
A man has been jailed for raping a teenage woman more than three decades ago after he was arrested last year for an unconnected crime and his DNA found to match the attacker’s profile.

Armed with a large sharpened stick, Paul Shakespeare grabbed his 18-year-old victim from a footpath in Gloucestershire as she walked her dog and dragged her into bushes before attacking her.

The daylight rape in Cheltenham left the teenager so traumatised she never told her family what happened to her on the afternoon of Sunday 29 April 1990.

After raping the girl, Shakespeare threatened to find her and kill her if she told anyone, Gloucester crown court heard.

Shakespeare, now 66, was brought to justice after he was arrested in Cumbria last year and his DNA matched. He was jailed for nine years.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, the victim said the rape had a profound effect on her causing her to try to take her own life.

“I couldn’t tell my family because of the shame I felt, I felt embarrassed, violated and dirty,” she said. “To this day my mum is not aware of what happened to me.

“Being raped will haunt me for the rest of my life. On that day I was the most scared I have ever been. I didn’t know whether I would live or die – I was petrified.”

Virginia Cornwall, prosecuting, told the court the attack took place in daylight near to a children’s play area on the Honeybourne line, a former railway line area popular with walkers and cyclists.

She said: “This was a premeditated stranger rape when a weapon was used to gain the victim’s submission. The defendant had noticed the teenager alone and he had selected her.

“After raping her he asked where she lived and where she worked and it seems she told him through fear. Before running off he told her: ‘I know where you live and where you work and I’ll come and find you. If you tell anyone I’ll kill you.’”

An investigation was launched and despite local and national press coverage, Shakespeare was not caught. In 2008 the victim took part in a BBC Crimewatch reconstruction but the defendant still evaded justice.

In June last year Shakespeare was arrested for possession of an offensive weapon and his DNA matched samples taken from the rape. He pleaded guilty to rape and possession of an offensive weapon.

Kim Whittlestone, defending, said Shakespeare, from Carlisle, has been married for 20 years to an NHS nurse and he had three adult children.

Judge Michael Cullum said: “I am so relieved this day has finally come for your victim. For 30 years she has been denied justice and living daily with the nightmare you inflicted upon her. She knew this day would come and her remarkable faith in criminal justice has been borne out.”

Outside court, DC Simone Bowley praised the victim’s courage, adding: “She has had to wait for more than 30 years for Shakespeare to admit his abhorrent crimes.”
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
EU Proposes Phasing Out Russian Oil and Gas by End of 2027 to End Energy Dependence
More Than 150,000 Followers for a Fictional Character: The New Influencers Are AI Creations
EU Prepares for War
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Big Tech Executives Laud Trump at White House Dinner, Unveil Massive U.S. Investments
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
‘Looks Like a Wig’: Online Users Express Concern Over Kate Middleton
Florida’s Vaccine Revolution: DeSantis Declares War on Mandates
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
"The Situation Has Never Been This Bad": The Fall of PepsiCo
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
The Fashion Designer Who Became an Italian Symbol: Giorgio Armani Has Died at 91
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Druzhba Pipeline Incident Sparks Geopolitical Tensions
Cost of Opposition Leader Péter Magyar's Economic Plan Revealed
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
Budapest Central European Fashion Week Kicks Off
U.S. Celebrates Labor Day
Hungarian National Team Captain Scores Epic Goal
×