A ‘persistent and dangerous’ rapist who attacked a woman in her Reddish home has been jailed after his DNA matched with that found on a cigarette butt from another crime scene.
The DNA was found on a cigarette end discarded at the scene of a sexual assault on a woman in Didsbury more than a year earlier for which this vile offender has also been sentenced.
In light of the evidence, Liam Harkin of Central Road, Manchester, pleaded guilty to rape and sexual assault and was handed a sentence of nine years and three months at Manchester Crown Court yesterday.
Detective Constables Joanne Walton and Chris Horsfield said: “Thanks to advances in forensic technology, police are now better equipped than ever to investigate historic crimes.
“Criminals leave behind DNA and fingerprints and we will find them. And we will never close cases until offenders are caught, as Harkin has now found out.
“Harkin has proven himself to be a persistent and dangerous criminal who will target lone, vulnerable women, and the streets are undoubtedly a safer place now that he is behind bars.”
The first sexual assault took place on Wilmslow Road on Saturday October 5 at about 2:50am.
A cigarette butt and an empty cigarette packet were recovered from the scene by Crime Scene Investigations and a DNA sample was found.
At that time the DNA did not match any previously recovered but was uploaded to the database.
More than a year later, on December 6 2014, Harkin preyed on another lone woman and claimed another victim.
In the early hours of the morning a woman left a pub in the Whitworth Street area and got into a taxi.
Harkin, who until then did not know her, also jumped into the taxi and when the woman got out at her home in the Reddish area, the sex offender followed her inside.
Once inside the woman fell asleep only to be awoke by Harkin toughing her.
He then put his hand over her mouth, threatened her, forced himself on top of her, and raped her.
Terrified, the woman managed to flee from her home, screaming for help.
Harkin followed her into the street, chased after her and put his hand over her mouth to stop her from getting help.
It was not until one resident shouted out of their window that Harkin ran off. The police were called and the responding officer arrested Harkin nearby.
While in custody, a DNA sample was taken which matched that taken from the cigarette butt in 2013 and he was also arrested for that offence.
The Detective Constables said: “We would like to pay tribute to both women.
“Not only did they endure a terrible ordeal at Harkin’s hands, but they had the courage to come forward, relive their awful experience during police interviews and waited patiently and with dignity for this day to come.
“Thankfully they were spared the trauma of having to go through a trial and we hope that seeing Harkin convicted of his appalling sexual crimes gives them some sense of justice.
“Due to some excellent teamwork between the Stockport division who responded to woman’s distressed call, our forensic investigators and officers from the South Manchester division who investigated the initial sexual assault, a dangerous criminal has been caught and two women who were subjected to terrifying ordeals have seen their attacker imprisoned for a long time.”
Greater Manchester is nationally recognised as a model of good practice in terms of support services available to victims.
If you or someone you know has been raped or sexually assaulted, we encourage you not to suffer in silence and report it to the police or a support agency so you can get the help and support available.
You can call Greater Manchester Police on 101, or alternatively people can refer themselves to St Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre on 016127 66515.
St Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre in Manchester provides a comprehensive and coordinated forensic, counselling and medical aftercare service to anyone in Greater Manchester who has experienced rape or sexual assault.
Services are available on a 24-hour basis and people can access them either as a self-referral or via Greater Manchester Police.
Manchester Rape Crisis is a confidential support service run by women for women and girls who have been raped or sexually abused. Confidential helpline: 016127 34500. Black and Minority Ethnic helpline: 016127 34514.
Survivors Manchester offers support and counselling for adult male survivors of sexual abuse and rape, regardless of when the event happened – contact 07919 246267.
