SUNDERLANDS MOST FEARED RAPIST COULD BE RELEASED FROM PRISON IN WEEKS
November 2025: One of Britain’s worst rapists, who is feared to have attacked 90 women, sometimes at knife-point, could be released from prison in weeks.Kevin Lakeman, 63, launched a 12-year ‘reign of terror’ against women across Sunderland.
He was jailed for life in 1995 and ordered to serve a minimum of 12 years but was warned he would stay in prison as long as he was a danger to the public.
Lakeman was convicted of three rapes and an attempted rape while under the influence of drink and drugs.
He always targeted lone women who he did not know at night.
1995: In a landmark case that has sent shockwaves through Sunderland and the surrounding areas, Kevin Lakeman, a 33-year-old man with a long history of sexual offenses, was sentenced to life imprisonment yesterday at Newcastle upon Tyne Crown Court.
The sentencing concluded a harrowing chapter in the city’s criminal history, highlighting the severity and duration of Lakeman’s crimes against women spanning over a decade.
Members of the public gallery, many of whom were victims or had been attacked by Lakeman, erupted into cheers as Mr.
Justice Potts delivered the verdict.
Several women, visibly emotional, broke down in tears, including one who was only 13 years old at the time of her assault.
The courtroom was filled with a mixture of relief and anguish as the reality of Lakeman’s crimes was laid bare.
Throughout the proceedings, Lakeman, who appeared unshaken and showed no visible emotion, sat quietly in the dock.
He was described as a burly man dressed in a rugby shirt, with no apparent remorse.
The judge emphasized the grave nature of his offenses, stating that Lakeman posed a significant threat to women and would be detained indefinitely.
The sentence stipulates that he will not be eligible for parole until he has served a minimum of 12 years, with the possibility of further detention if deemed necessary for public safety.
The judge clarified that this does not guarantee release after 12 years, as Lakeman could remain in custody for as long as the court deems appropriate.
Originally from Ribble Road, Sunderland, Lakeman was an unemployed father of five children.
His conviction was based on a series of heinous crimes committed in Sunderland, with the most recent being a rape and attempted rape on New Year’s Day, 1982, in the Downhill area.
He was found guilty at Leeds Crown Court last month of two rapes and one attempted rape, all occurring within a 24-hour period.
Additionally, he had previously admitted to raping an 18-year-old woman in a city centre car park in Sunderland during the early hours of New Year’s Day 1994.
Further charges, including eight counts of rape and four of attempted rape, were left on file, relating to attacks in Sunderland between 1982 and 1994.
Initially, Lakeman faced a total of 30 serious sex offense charges, reflecting the extensive nature of his criminal activities.
The judge noted that, considering the circumstances and reports from psychiatrists, Lakeman’s pattern of behavior indicated a persistent and ongoing threat to women, justifying the imposition of a life sentence.
The court’s decision was rooted in the need to protect the public from his dangerous and calculated actions.
Outside the courtroom, Detective Superintendent Dave Wilson of Northumbria Police expressed satisfaction with the outcome, stating, “This is certainly a sentence we have been working towards for a number of years.
He is a very dangerous man, a very cool, calm, calculated and determined liar.” He also acknowledged the emotional impact on the victims’ families and the women present in the gallery, adding, “This has been a very emotional day for them.
Certainly they all feel relief that Lakeman has been given a sentence he deserves.” During the trial at Leeds, forensic evidence played a crucial role.
It was revealed that a DNA sample from Lakeman’s blood, which had been cultivated by forensic scientists, was matched to semen found on a 16-year-old girl, one of his victims from the 1982 attack.
Lakeman had denied raping the girl in the grounds of Hilton Castle, as well as denying assaulting a 20-year-old woman on a playing field and attempting to rape an 18-year-old woman.
However, he admitted to forcing an 18-year-old mother into a car park at knifepoint on New Year’s Day 1994, where he raped her.
The court also heard that Lakeman, under the influence of amphetamine sulphate, or “speed,” had confessed to a friend in a nightclub that he had raped a woman.
His modus operandi involved instilling fear in his victims, often fabricating stories about escaping from mental institutions or prisons, and threatening violence if they reported him.
His calculated and ruthless approach to his crimes underscored the danger he posed to the community of Sunderland and beyond.
