COLLIER ROW SEX ATTACKER STEPHEN HENKEL CAUGHT AFTER 20 YEARS IN ROMFORD

In a case that spanned nearly two decades, a man from Collier Row, Romford, who committed a brutal sexual assault on an 18-year-old woman, has finally been brought to justice thanks to modern forensic evidence. The offender, Stephen Henkel, aged 57, was convicted and sentenced after DNA evidence linked him to the crime scene, ending a long period of uncertainty and failed investigations.

On the night of June 25, 1992, Henkel ambushed his young victim as she was walking home alone from Woodford Tube station, heading towards her residence in Chigwell, Essex. The woman, who was celebrating her boyfriend’s birthday earlier that evening, had no idea that her attacker was following her. As she proceeded along her route, she noticed the footsteps behind her quickening, which initially caused her to believe the person was rushing home. To avoid confrontation, she slowed her pace, pretending to search her bag, hoping the man would pass her by.

However, instead of passing, the man caught up with her and suddenly pushed her in the face with enough force to knock her onto the grass verge. The assailant, later identified as Henkel, then attempted to force her legs apart, claiming he only wanted to have sex and not to hurt her. The woman responded with screams, prompting Henkel to cover her mouth with his hand, making it difficult for her to breathe, and he even tried to kiss her. In a desperate act of resistance, she bit his lip so hard that it drew blood, which splashed onto her jacket and later served as crucial evidence linking Henkel to the attack.

As the struggle continued, Henkel threatened her, saying, “I’m going to kill you,” and attempted to pull her over a barbed wire fence into a nearby field. When she fought back again, he punched her repeatedly in the face. The woman still bears scars from the injuries inflicted by the barbed wire. Recognizing the danger, she feigned passing out, which caused Henkel to flee the scene, believing someone else was approaching.

Despite an extensive police investigation, media coverage, and efforts to identify the suspect, no immediate arrest was made. It was only in September 2021, after DNA analysis of blood stains found on her jacket matched Henkel’s DNA, that police arrested him. Henkel initially claimed that he had met the victim, had a brief chat, and attempted to kiss her, but insisted that no assault or attempted rape occurred.

At the Old Bailey, Henkel denied charges of attempted rape and indecent assault. However, the court found him guilty, and he was sentenced to six years and three months in prison. During the sentencing, Mr. Recorder Jeremy Benson QC remarked that the victim’s fierce resistance was instrumental in preventing the assault from being completed, implying that Henkel’s own actions led to his failure to carry out the crime fully.

The victim, now 38, delivered a heartfelt statement to the court, expressing her ongoing trauma. She said, “I have never forgotten what this man did to me and the trust I had in people has gone. He is an animal and there is no way he should be treated like a human being. What he did to me was disgusting and although I wouldn’t allow him to ruin my life, he has changed it beyond comprehension.”

This case highlights the importance of forensic evidence in solving cold cases and bringing long-overdue justice to victims of violent crimes. The conviction of Stephen Henkel marks a significant milestone in the pursuit of justice for a crime committed nearly 30 years ago in Romford, Collier Row.