'Evil' soldier who raped woman in Shrewsbury town centre then hid in railway station toilet is jailed for nine years

John Harvey, a Private who lived at a military barracks near Market Drayton and had a “respectable” career, was found hiding in the toilets of Shrewsbury Railway Station after targeting his victim and subjecting her to a “horrific” 20-minute ordeal in which he raped her twice and sexually assaulted her.

And despite confessing to police that he had raped her in Mardol in the early hours of July 6 last year, the 25-year-old forced her to relive “the worst moment of her life repeatedly” by pleading not guilty to the charges and taking the case to trial.

Harvey, joining his sentencing hearing via video link from prison, appeared relaxed as he sat up straight, listening intently as Judge Richard McConaghy jailed him for nine years, with a three-year extended licence period, in a hearing at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on Thursday (June 5).

Referring to the victim’s 999 call after Harvey had raped her, the judge told him: “The audio of that call and the state she was in was harrowing to listen to.”

A drunken Harvey approached the victim down an alleyway, groped her breasts and tried to kiss her.

He then carried out the violent sex attack, which left the victim with bruising.

The victim called the police and Harvey, of Clive Barracks, Tern Hill, fled to the railway station, where he was found hiding by officers and arrested.