DNA breakthrough jails Newport man after 27-year cold case

A predator who evaded justice for nearly three decades is finally behind bars after forensic science caught up with him.

Richard Downey, now 55, has been locked up for eight years with an additional two-year extended licence period following his conviction at Newport Crown Court yesterday for two counts of indecent assault and inciting a child under 16 to commit an act of gross indecency.

The Newport man’s crimes date back to a September evening in 1997 when he targeted a 13-year-old girl making her way home along a quiet footpath near Blackwood. Downey, then 26, grabbed the teenager and threatened her with a screwdriver before subjecting her to a horrifying sexual assault that included exposing himself and performing a sex act whilst restraining her. The brave youngster managed to break free and immediately reported what had happened.

Despite forensic teams recovering crucial DNA evidence from the victim’s clothing and shoes, investigators hit a wall – the profile didn’t match anyone on the national police database. With no CCTV footage, no eyewitnesses, and the victim unable to identify her attacker, the trail went cold.

The game-changer came 25 years later when Downey was arrested over a completely separate matter in 2022. His DNA, now routinely taken during custody processing, was uploaded to the system – and it pinged as a match to the 1997 attack.

Speaking about her ordeal, the victim described the lasting damage: “Although the attack lasted for only a few minutes, the impact it had on me has lasted a lifetime. At 13, I did not even grasp what was going on fully and was naïve to my attacker’s intentions.

“The attack has had an such an overarching impact on my life and my childhood, although the resurfacing of it in 2022 has been stressful, I am glad that it has now concluded and that I have now had some sort of closure.

“I never thought that my attacker would be brought to justice and now that he has, I can now draw a line under this incident and move on with my life, knowing that it’s all over and that he has been held accountable.”

Detective Constable Lauren Griffin, who led the investigation, issued a stark warning to other offenders: “I hope this sends a powerful message to anyone who’s committed a sexual offence which remains unsolved – the advancements in technology and the dedication of our officers means it’s only a matter of time before you get a knock at your door.

“For nearly three decades, the victim in this case has had to live with knowing the man who attacked her had not been identified and could still be out there. But thanks to her bravery and resolve, he is now rightly behind bars.”