This is Devon -- An alleged rapist who escaped justice for 30 years was caught by 21st century forensics after his victim asked police to re-open the cold case, a jury has been told. Sam Robinson was traced through a DNA sample which was recovered from the camisole top worn by his victim when he allegedly attacked her in the grounds of a stately home in 1984. The 17-year-old girl was taking a short cut through parkland at Oldway Mansion in Paignton, Devon, when she was attacked from behind, battered into submission and raped twice. She was ordered to strip naked during the ordeal but samples of the attacker's semen got on to her top as she put it on afterwards, Exeter Crown Court was told. Former soldier Robinson, 47, denies raping the girl and claims his DNA must have been picked up from the grass where she put down her top as she was being raped by someone else. Robinson, who lived at Higher Polsham Road at the time but now lives in Brookside, Totton, near Southampton, denies raping the girl in July 1984. Malcolm Galloway, prosecuting, said the victim was walking home on her own at around midnight after a tiff with her boyfriend and was attacked by a man who followed her into the grounds of Oldway Mansion, which was then a council office. He said she was battered about the head and forced to go to lawns near the tennis courts where she was ordered to strip and put her clothes on the ground. She was raped once and then taken to an overgrown garden where she was raped again before her attacker left after a 40 minute ordeal. Traces of semen were found in three different places on the top and scientists believe they must have been transferred from her hands or mouth. He said: "The victim was raped brutally by an unknown male and after the rape she ran home and reported it to the police and samples were taken from her clothing. "The forensic tests available at the time were carried out and semen was found on her top but at that stage it was not possible to identify her attacker. "In 2012 and 2013 the tests were undertaken again on the same material using modern techniques not available 30 years ago and a full male DNA profile was obtained. "It was compared with the national data base and a positive match was found for this defendant. The likelihood of it originating from another person is less than one in a billion. "Work undertaken by the police has shown at the time of the rape Robinson was aged 17 and living within half a mile of the scene of the rape. "In 2011 the victim got back in contact with the police and asked them to look at the case again with the benefit of advanced forensic science and that is exactly what they did. "She was re-interviewed and you may think unfortunately it is something which is going to stay in her mind for the rest of her life." Mr Galloway said the victim had pleaded for her life during the attack and afterwards put her clothes back on in a panic, some inside out, and it was likely the DNA was transferred to the shirt at this stage. Robinson denied raping anyone but said at the time he did have sex with his girlfriend in parks around Paignton and this may explain the DNA. Mr Galloway said police had traced the girlfriend he identified but she told detectives she did not meet Robinson until 1989.
Reported by This is 6 hours ago.
This is Devon -- An alleged rapist who escaped justice for 30 years was caught by 21st century forensics after his victim asked police to re-open the cold case, a jury has been told. Sam Robinson was traced through a DNA sample which was recovered from the camisole top worn by his victim when he allegedly attacked her in the grounds of a stately home in 1984. The 17-year-old girl was taking a short cut through parkland at Oldway Mansion in Paignton, Devon, when she was attacked from behind, battered into submission and raped twice. She was ordered to strip naked during the ordeal but samples of the attacker's semen got on to her top as she put it on afterwards, Exeter Crown Court was told. Former soldier Robinson, 47, denies raping the girl and claims his DNA must have been picked up from the grass where she put down her top as she was being raped by someone else. Robinson, who lived at Higher Polsham Road at the time but now lives in Brookside, Totton, near Southampton, denies raping the girl in July 1984. Malcolm Galloway, prosecuting, said the victim was walking home on her own at around midnight after a tiff with her boyfriend and was attacked by a man who followed her into the grounds of Oldway Mansion, which was then a council office. He said she was battered about the head and forced to go to lawns near the tennis courts where she was ordered to strip and put her clothes on the ground. She was raped once and then taken to an overgrown garden where she was raped again before her attacker left after a 40 minute ordeal. Traces of semen were found in three different places on the top and scientists believe they must have been transferred from her hands or mouth. He said: "The victim was raped brutally by an unknown male and after the rape she ran home and reported it to the police and samples were taken from her clothing. "The forensic tests available at the time were carried out and semen was found on her top but at that stage it was not possible to identify her attacker. "In 2012 and 2013 the tests were undertaken again on the same material using modern techniques not available 30 years ago and a full male DNA profile was obtained. "It was compared with the national data base and a positive match was found for this defendant. The likelihood of it originating from another person is less than one in a billion. "Work undertaken by the police has shown at the time of the rape Robinson was aged 17 and living within half a mile of the scene of the rape. "In 2011 the victim got back in contact with the police and asked them to look at the case again with the benefit of advanced forensic science and that is exactly what they did. "She was re-interviewed and you may think unfortunately it is something which is going to stay in her mind for the rest of her life." Mr Galloway said the victim had pleaded for her life during the attack and afterwards put her clothes back on in a panic, some inside out, and it was likely the DNA was transferred to the shirt at this stage. Robinson denied raping anyone but said at the time he did have sex with his girlfriend in parks around Paignton and this may explain the DNA. Mr Galloway said police had traced the girlfriend he identified but she told detectives she did not meet Robinson until 1989.
Reported by This is 6 hours ago.