‘Day of reckoning’ for rapist after 30 years

A pensioner has been jailed for raping a teenage dog walker more than 30 years ago after a DNA breakthrough.

Paul Shakespeare, 66, was told by a judge he faced a “belated day of reckoning” as he was jailed for nine years for raping the then 18-year-old.

The court heard that he attacked the teenager as she strolled with her dog at a beauty spot in Cheltenham, Glos, in April 1990. His DNA was recovered but despite public appeals, including a Crimewatch reconstruction in 2008, he continued to evade justice. Mr Shakespeare was arrested for a separate incident in August last year and his DNA matched samples taken from the rape.