The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
‘Evil predator’ jailed for life - 32 years after raping young mother in her city home
Ian Harper described as one of the country’s most dangerous sexual predators
A rapist described as one of the most dangerous sexual predators in Britain has started a life sentence more than 30 years after attacking a Peterborough woman.
‘Evil’ Ian Harper went into the victim’s house on July 16 1985 as she awaited the return of her children from school. He was wearing a balaclava and threatened the woman, who was in her 30s, holding the tip of a screwdriver to her throat. He demanded money before violently attacking her.
He escaped justice for more than 30 years - but a team of cold case detectives used modern DNA techniques to catch the rapist and bring him before the courts.
On Friday he appeared in court, where he pleaded guilty to rape, burglary and indecent assault. Harper (57), who is fomally known as Ian Harrison, is already serving an indeterminate sentence having been convicted of multiple rape and burglary offences in Hertfordshire in 1994. He was given a life sentence for rape and 12 months to run concurrently for burglary and indecent assault.
Detective Inspector Alan Page from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit who investigated the case, said: “Ian Harper is an evil man. He is one of the most dangerous sexual predators in the UK and to secure a further prison term against him will mean our communities are protected from him committing further offences.
“The attack on this victim was horrendous and has had an unimaginable impact on her and her family. I hope the sentence given to him will be of some small comfort to them 32 years on. I would like to pay tribute to the victim and her family for the bravery they have shown in engaging with the investigation, so many years after the offence occurred. This investigation shows we will continue to strive to bring offenders to justice no matter how long ago the offence occurred.”
Harper was traced as part of work carried out under Operation Painter. The operation began a year ago to review undetected rapes and sexual offences which occurred in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire between 1974 and 1999.
Working closely with a dedicated team of cold case review scientists at Eurofins Forensic Services, the Major Crime Unit are recovering evidence held in the National Forensic Archive for examination. DNA profiles obtained are then searched against the National DNA Database to identify potential offenders. Detective Chief Superintendent Mark Lay said: “Understandably investigating historical sexual offences can bring many challenges including the difficulty around continuity of exhibits and tracing witnesses however, to secure a sentence against an evil predator such as this proves how important this work can be to bring closure for victims and ensure offenders are brought to justice.”