Bedfordshire rapist caught by DNA 20 years after crime

A man was recently sentenced to prison for a rape committed two decades ago, thanks to a DNA breakthrough. The incident dates back to October 2006, when Kennedy Jimmy, then aged 25, encountered a teenage girl and her friend in a supermarket parking lot in Shefford, Bedfordshire. While the friend went inside the shop, Jimmy took advantage of the situation and assaulted the girl by dragging her into the back of a car and raping her.

Despite a thorough investigation at the time of the crime, police were unable to identify Jimmy, who was only known to the victim by the name “Kenny.” It was only after a specialized review of cold cases by the major crime unit, which applied updated forensic techniques, that a match was found in the DNA database. This led to his arrest in November 2022, over 15 years after the attack.

Following a five-day trial held in October at Luton Crown Court, Jimmy, now 44 and residing in Stoke-on-Trent, was found guilty of rape. On Friday, he was sentenced to six years in prison and given a restraining order that will last for life. Bedfordshire Police confirmed that Jimmy had relocated to Staffordshire since the time of the offense.

Detective Constable Rhian Batterham-Jones expressed the significance of the conviction, stating, “This conviction demonstrates that time is no barrier to justice. Jimmy thought he had escaped accountability, but advances in forensic science and the determination of our team proved otherwise.” She also praised the victim’s bravery for coming forward and recounting the traumatic experience after so many years

Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More