Presentazione

da "news.bbc.co.uk" del 3.8.09  
 
A man who was found guilty of raping a 41-year-old woman near Manchester city centre more than 11 years ago has been jailed for seven-and-a-half years.

Officers from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) Cold Case Review Unit arrested Stephen Leonard, 44, of Easby Road in Middleton, in November 2007.

Technological advances meant it was possible for police to gather a DNA profile and match it with Leonard's.

He was found guilty of rape on 18 June at Manchester Crown Court.

In January 1998, the victim was walking along Oldham Road when she was grabbed from behind, forced into a back street and raped.

Evidence taken at the time could not provide a DNA profile, police said.

Martin Bottomley, head of GMP's Cold Case Review Unit said: "Stephen Leonard carried out a violent attack on his victim.

"She then had to live with the uncertainty of not knowing who attacked her or where that person was.

"I hope she can now find some comfort in the fact that he has been traced and held accountable for what he did.

"Advancing technology now means we are able to review evidence from historic cases and work with the forensic scientists to get profiles of the people responsible."