Prosecutors say justice doesn't have a timescale as 40 year old rape case finally results in prison sentence
Prosecutors have said they will pursue any offence ‘no matter the passage of time’ after successfully securing the conviction of a rapist who struck in Sheffield in 1985.
In February this year, a jury at Sheffield Crown Court found David Hill guilty of a knifepoint rape that occurred 40 years earlier.
A breakthrough in DNA evidence helped tie Hill, 75, to the historic case that had gone unsolved for so many years.
And as he was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment at the same court yesterday (March 20), the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) have reaffirmed that victims are always ‘at the heart’ of what they do.
Caroline Deacon, senior crown prosecutor for CPS Yorkshire and Humberside, said: “This is among the most complex and unique cases I have worked on in my career, and one which presented exceptional legal challenges.
“At its heart was a young woman for whom we were determined to secure justice. We successfully applied for her original account of the attack to be used in court even though she has now passed away ensuring that her voice could be heard after four decades.
“We also applied for medical history, showing she had spoken of the impact of the rape on her life with medical professionals years after it took place, to be shown to the jury.
“David Hill subjected the victim to a terrifying and degrading attack that cast a shadow over the rest of her life. In a deeply moving statement read in court today, her brother who survives her spoke of his belief that this rape contributed to her early passing.”
The case was reviewed in 2021 by South Yorkshire Police’s major incident review team, who managed to uncover DNA evidence from samples kept in storage since the crime occurred in September 1985.
It is not the only success the cold case team has had, also catching the so-called ‘shoe rapist’ James Lloyd 20 years after a spree of rapes in the 1980s and Joshua The High Priest 25 years after sexually assaulting two Sheffield teenagers.
In the wake of Hill’s sentencing, the CPS have reaffirmed that they will seek justice for victims no matter how long has passed.
“I am extremely grateful to South Yorkshire Police and the Forensic Team who diligently gathered evidence to enable us to build a successful case against Hill,” Caroline Deacon continued.
“We combined the victim’s medical history, testimony from those who knew her at the time and, crucially, forensic evidence, to prove his guilt.
“I hope this case demonstrates the CPS will always seek justice for rape victims, no matter the circumstances or passage of time."