Leeds serial rapist brought to justice for offence in 1991

    Ground-breaking advances in forensic science have helped detectives bring a serial rapist to justice for a horrific offence committed almost three decades ago. 

    Raymond Manners, 56, pleaded guilty at Leeds Crown Court on Tuesday 9 May to the rape, committed on 23 February 1991 in the Chapeltown area of Leeds. 

    Officers at the time were unable to identify the culprit but the case was later reviewed by the Operation Recall team – a unit set up to look at previously unsolved cases involving sexual assault. 

    The team spotted similarities between this case and two other unsolved rapes dating back to 1979. 

    In 2012 the Recall team successfully linked Manners through forensic evidence to the 1979 rapes and he was sentenced to 10 years for the crimes. He was, however, released without charge in relation to the 1991 offence as the forensic evidence available did not meet the necessary prosecuting criteria. 

    By using a new DNA profiling technique he has now been linked to the crime in 1991.

    He was charged with the offence in March 2017 and was sentenced yesterday to a further 12 years.

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