Trapped by his DNA: Bridgnorth man who stabbed police dog is convicted of 25-year-old Telford rape
A rapist from Bridgnorth has been brought to justice 25 years after an horrific knife-point attack - after he was traced by his DNA when he stabbed a police dog during a disturbance at his flat last year.
DNA was taken from Mark Hemmings after he stabbed police dog Canto during the disturbance. Routine testing matched the 58-year-old to the rape of a woman in the early 1990s in Telford Town Park.
Hemmings attacked the 36-year-old victim as she made her way to work work shortly after 6pm on February 9, 1993.
He admitted rape when he appeared at Shrewsbury Crown Court today. But justice has come too late for his victim, who died two years ago.
The victim was on her way to work on a path in the park when Hemmings approached her from behind. He dragged her to the ground while holding a knife to her throat, then subjected her to a violent rape.
She reported the attack to police and an investigation was launched at the time, but no suspect was ever identified.
Police dog Canto received emergency surgery after the incident in Bridgnorth. He was earlier this week given a commendation by the pet charity PDSA for his services to the community.
West Mercia Police said Hemmings, of Tasley Close, might have thought he had escaped justice but a sample of DNA was taken and stored on the national database following the rape.
Up-to-date techniques enabled a sample given when he was arrested last year to match the original crime.
Hemmings had previously denied the rape allegation but changed his plea to guilty.
The victim died in 2015, but members of her family were present in court to hear him admit what he had done.
Detective Inspector Mark Bellamy said this afternoon: “This was a terrifying and violent ordeal for the victim and I am very sorry that she is not here now to see justice being served.
“I hope her family can take some comfort from the fact that her attacker has finally been caught.
“The investigation has never closed and thanks to forensic science and meticulous work by detectives, Hemmings has now been convicted.
“We remain committed to pursuing rapists and sexual offenders, regardless of the time which has passed since the offences were committed.”
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Julia Mcsorley, Senior Crown Prosecutor with the West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service’s Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Unit, said: “The Prosecution Team were able to link Hemmings to the rape which he committed in 1993 through the use of forensic evidence. This key piece of DNA evidence has helped us to bring this dangerous sexual predator to justice for a crime which he thought he had got away with.
“This offence had a devastating effect on the victim and her family and our thoughts are today with them. We hope that today’s conviction will provide some measure of comfort to them.”
Hemmings will be sentenced on March 2.
