IAN PHIPPS CAUGHT IN WEST MALLING AFTER 27 YEARS FOR COLD CASE RAPE IN KENT

In a remarkable turn of events, Ian Phipps, a man from West Malling, was finally apprehended nearly three decades after he committed two heinous sexual assaults in Kent. The case, which had remained unsolved for 27 years, was brought back into the spotlight when police, conducting routine investigations, took a DNA sample from Phipps' son, David Phipps, aged 25, who had been arrested and cautioned last September for a separate offence.

When the DNA from David Phipps was entered into the national database, it matched samples recovered from two historic rape cases. The first attack occurred in 1986, before Ian Phipps was born, while the second took place in 1991, when he was just two years old. This genetic link led investigators to suspect Ian Phipps, despite him having no prior criminal record. The probability of the DNA profile matching someone unrelated to the attacker was estimated at one in a billion, making the match highly significant.

Further investigation revealed that Phipps had connections to the West Malling area and that his physical description aligned with the details provided by both victims. Notably, both women described their attacker as wearing Army trousers and heavy boots, attire that Phipps, at the time, was known to wear as a serving member of the Territorial Army. This detail added weight to the suspicion against him.

Initially, Phipps denied any involvement when questioned by police, confidently believing that his DNA would not match that found on the victims. However, once the match was confirmed, he claimed it must have been a 'dreadful mistake.' Despite this denial, Phipps later pleaded guilty to the two historic crimes during a court hearing at Maidstone Crown Court in Kent.

Judge Charles Macdonald sentenced Phipps to 15 years in prison and ordered him to register as a sex offender indefinitely. The judge expressed strong condemnation of Phipps' actions, emphasizing the profound and lasting harm inflicted upon the victims. Addressing Phipps directly, Judge Macdonald questioned whether the offender showed any genuine remorse, noting that no guilty pleas were entered until evidence of an inevitable conviction emerged. The judge described the crimes as 'wicked' and highlighted the severe impact on the victims, stating, 'You subjected these complainants to horrific ordeals which plainly changed their lives.'

The first assault took place on January 8, 1986, when Phipps targeted a 14-year-old girl who was walking home from school across some cement works. He approached her, placing his arm behind her head and covering her mouth with his hand. Despite her pleas to be let go and promises that she wouldn't tell anyone, Phipps pushed her to the ground and raped her. The second attack occurred on June 6, 1991, when Phipps assaulted a 23-year-old woman in a quiet woodland area while she was having lunch. She tried to reason with him, saying, 'Come on, don’t be stupid,' and pleaded, 'Please don’t do this to me,' but he overpowered her and committed the rape after a struggle.

Both victims provided matching descriptions of their attacker, describing him as wearing Army trousers and heavy boots, details that matched Phipps’ known attire at the time. Despite these similarities, Phipps was never previously identified or apprehended for these crimes.

During the court proceedings, Phipps’ defense lawyer, Michael Haynes, highlighted that since the assaults, his client had undergone significant health issues, including a kidney transplant, diabetes, and a stroke. Haynes expressed concern that Phipps felt he might not survive the ordeal, stating, 'He feels he won’t come out of the other end.'

Detective Superintendent Rob Vinson of Kent Police’s Cold Case Investigation Team reassured the public and victims that such stranger rapes are exceedingly rare. He emphasized the importance of the case, stating, 'Stranger rapes are extremely rare which is why it was important to get a result in the case of Ian Phipps.' The case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of modern forensic techniques in solving long-standing cold cases and delivering justice, even after many years have passed.