MAN CONVICTED OF 1977 RAPE IN LEEDS AFTER DNA BREAKTHROUGH
A man has been convicted of raping a student in Leeds nearly 50 years after the attack following a DNA breakthrough.David Sharp, now aged 66, smashed a window to get into the woman's room on what was her first night in the city, on 2 October 1977.
He was wearing a ski mask when he sexually assaulted and raped her, before leaving through the front door of the property.
The offence was reported and investigated at the time, but no suspect was identified.
It was reinvestigated by the West Yorkshire Police cold case review team in 2023.
They established a DNA profile of the offender, but it was not linked to anyone on police databases.
However, further enquiries led to a match with one of Sharp's relatives and a sample taken from him proved he was the culprit.
Officers later confirmed Sharp, now of Copland Meadows, Totnes, Devon, was living in Leeds at the time of the offence.
He was found guilty on Friday of one count of rape and one count of indecent assault following a trial at Leeds Crown Court and will be sentenced on 23 April.
Det Sgt Richard Ord, of the major investigation review team, said: “At the heart of this investigation is a woman who has been scarred by the events of 48 years ago for her whole adult life.
She has told officers that she remembers the crime committed against her on that day in 1977 like it was yesterday.
“Sharp has consistently denied this offence and taken no responsibility for his actions.
The evidence we were able to gather was compelling and has resulted in him being convicted of this offence.
“No prison sentence can make up for the life term of trauma that the victim has been subjected to, but I hope that she feels that some form of justice has now been served.” He added: “We would encourage anyone to come forward who wishes to report an offence, no matter how long ago, you will be listened to, this case shows time is not a barrier to justice.”
