2013: RAPIST WHO STALKED 17-YEAR-OLD VICTIM AS SHE WALKED ALONE AT NIGHT
A man convicted of rape has been sentenced to prison after investigators established a familial DNA connection.Darren Hill, aged 29 from Padbury Way, Breightmet, followed a 17-year-old girl as she headed to her foster home.
He then confronted her, threatened her life, and committed the assault.
Hill pleaded guilty to the charge of rape in Bolton Crown Court and received a sentence of six years and nine months.
The incident occurred in the early hours of October 8, 2012, when the victim, a girl in care, was walking to her former foster residence in Bury.
She was reported missing by her carers.
While walking along Bury and Bolton Road between Breightmet and Ainsworth, she noticed a man behind her.
Initially overtaking her, he then turned left and was out of sight.
Feeling relieved, she soon realized he was again behind her, passed her once more, and then disappeared.
When she reached an entrance to a lane, the man appeared and grabbed her, pulling her into the lane.
There, he threatened to kill her and proceeded to rape her.
Her attack was interrupted by passersby who inquired if she was okay.
The attacker claimed everything was fine.
The girl managed to separate from him and was later found distressed by a man who called the police.
Detective Inspector Simon Davies noted that the girl was experiencing personal issues at the time, which may have initially hindered her engagement with authorities.
He praised the dedicated officers who supported her and encouraged her to seek help.
Forensic analysis produced a DNA profile of the attacker, but initially, there were no matches in the national database.
A subsequent familial DNA search established a link to Darren Hill, whose DNA sample matched exactly.
Inspector Davies highlighted how forensic technology advancements over the past decade have significantly improved the investigation of sexual assaults.
He credited the victim’s bravery as essential in bringing Hill to justice and emphasized that he is now rightly incarcerated, reinforcing the importance of victim cooperation.
