COLD CASE DNA MATCH FINDS 1985 KNIFEPOINT RAPIST
Update 20/03/2026 A man has received a prison sentence for the rape of a woman at knifepoint over forty years ago, made possible through advances in forensic technology and the investigation of a long-unsolved case.A jury convicted 75-year-old David Hill of assaulting the woman, who died 12 years after the incident, in an underground parking area as she exited Josephine’s nightclub in Sheffield during the early hours of September 7, 1985.
Hill approached her from behind, threatening her with a knife to her throat and back before raping her.
Although the victim had passed away by the late 1990s, prosecutors successfully presented her original witness statement as hearsay evidence, which was crucial to building a case against Hill.
Today, at Sheffield Crown Court, Hill was sentenced to 15 years in prison, just before turning 76.
Caroline Deacon, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS Yorkshire & Humberside, stated: "This case stands out as one of the most intricate and distinctive I have handled, marked by significant legal hurdles.
The core of the case was a young woman for whom justice was pursued.
We managed to introduce her initial account of the attack into the courtroom, despite her passing, ensuring her voice was heard after four decades.
Additionally, we utilized her medical records, which showed she discussed the lasting impact of the assault with healthcare workers years afterward, to support the case.
David Hill’s assault was a terrifying and humiliating experience that cast a long shadow over her life.
In a poignant statement read aloud in court today, her brother expressed his belief that this attack may have contributed to her early death.
____________________________________________ Over four decades after a woman was attacked in an underground car park, a man has been found guilty of her rape.
The assault occurred on 7 September 1985 in Sheffield, with the victim walking back to her vehicle following a night out when she was approached by an attacker wielding a blade.
David Hill, aged 75 and living in Clifton, Rotherham, was identified through cold case investigations carried out by South Yorkshire Police, with his DNA matching evidence recovered from the scene.
Despite denying involvement, Hill was convicted after a trial lasting a week at Sheffield Crown Court.
He was placed in custody and will be sentenced on 20 March.
The police reported that the woman died 12 years after the incident, before she could see her assailant face justice.
The original investigation involved collecting forensic material from her clothing and taking her detailed account, but the perpetrator remained unidentified at the time.
The case was reopened in 2018 by the Major Incident Review Team (MIRT), which reviews complex and unsolved cases in South Yorkshire.
During this review, forensic evidence from the original investigation was re-analyzed with advanced techniques, leading to the recognition of the offender’s DNA.
Although initial checks against the national DNA database revealed no matches, in 2021, further testing connected the DNA to Hill.
By then, Hill was registered in the database following a separate arrest related to a public order offence.
Hill was detained on suspicion of rape.
He denied the charges, asserting that he did not remember the incident and that the sexual act was consensual.
Head of MIRT Dave Stopford explained that because the victim had died, the authorities worked with the Crown Prosecution Service to have her initial statement introduced as 'hearsay' evidence, a process involving the presentation of statements through someone other than the witness.
Additional investigations included gathering character evidence from friends and family, which led the court to accept her statement.
Stopford expressed his condolences and pride in the victim’s courage: “It’s sad she isn’t alive to see justice done.
We hope her loved ones find some solace, knowing we didn’t give up.
Her bravery in supporting the police’s efforts from the start is commendable,” he said.
