In a courageous effort to bring her assailant to justice, a woman who was raped as a student four decades ago has bravely relived her harrowing ordeal. Liz (not her real name) has come forward to share her story, hoping to catch the perpetrator and prevent others from suffering a similar fate.
The incident occurred when Liz, a 20-year-old law student, was walking to the library around 6pm on a Monday evening. She took a footpath alongside the Warwick University campus in Canley when she was suddenly grabbed from behind, a knife held menacingly against her throat. The assailant threatened to kill her if she made a sound, instilling a paralysing fear within her.
Forced through a gate onto a dark football pitch, Liz was marched to the far end, where her attacker proceeded to assault her. Despite her efforts, Liz never caught a glimpse of her assailant’s face. However, she believed he might have been in his 20s and appeared to have no discernible accent. From something he said, she also suspected that he may have committed similar acts before.
After the assault, Liz was ordered not to move. She lay paralysed with fear for approximately five minutes before she dared to look around, only to find her attacker had vanished. Distraught and shaken, she ran back to the path and confided in a passing student, who promptly took her to a nearby house where the occupants raised the alarm.
Unfortunately, Liz’s rapist has never been apprehended. However, last year, she watched the BBC series ‘Forensics – The Real CSI,’ which featured West Midlands Police. The show inspired her to contact the authorities once again, hoping that advancements in DNA technology could finally identify her attacker. Although the samples taken nearly 40 years ago were collected before DNA testing was possible, they still exist in the forensic archives.
Motivated by the possibility of justice, Liz agreed to participate in a reconstruction of her traumatic experience on the 40th anniversary of the incident, January 9, 2024. Despite the changes to the university campus and the absence of the football pitch, she retraced the route she had taken four decades earlier.
“I would like to feel that effort has been made to find him,” Liz expressed. “I would like him to feel scared because he frightened me for a long time.”
With renewed determination, detectives are now submitting the preserved samples for DNA testing, hoping for a match in today’s extensive database. The investigation team urges anyone with information or memories related to the events that unfolded 40 years ago to come forward and share their knowledge. Even the smallest detail could prove crucial in bringing the perpetrator to justice.
Detective Inspector Rachel Gregory, from the Public Protection Unit, emphasised the gravity of such offences, stating, “These types of offences have really far-reaching implications and devastating consequences for people and their wider families, and they are worthy of our full attention. A rapist is a rapist, and they need to know that they will be pursued – lawfully but relentlessly – by West Midlands Police.”
If you have any recollection or information related to the events described four decades ago, please contact West Midlands Police. You can reach them through Live Chat on their website or by calling 101, quoting crime reference 20/246855/23. Alternatively, you can provide anonymous information to Crimestoppers at 0800 555 111.
