Predatory Leeds rapist caught through DNA profiling five decades later is jailed
Sex attacker who had “no answer” to forensic analysis is handed jail term.
A masked predator who spent almost 50 years evading justice after breaking into a student’s room and raping her has been jailed.
David Sharp even moved hundreds of miles to the southern coast of England, but was unable to escape the overwhelming DNA evidence from the sickening 1977 attack.
The 66-year-old was found guilty of rape and sexual assault after a trial at Leeds Crown Court in March.
While giving evidence during that trial, he admitted he had no explanation as to how his DNA matched that found on the victim.
Sharp was handed a six-year sentence this morning and put on the sex offender register for life.
Sharp received a reduced sentence due to him being youth himself at the time - three months shy of his 18th birthday.
Judge Andrew Stubbs KC told him: “You changed her world and her life forever.
“She was just starting her life and had the world at her feet.
“Every day since October 2, 1977, she has lived with the consequences of your actions.
“You knew exactly what you did. You exploited your power and violence over her.”
During the trial the jury was told that the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was due to begin university in October of 1977.
She had been dropped off at the student halls on the night of October 1, having been driven up by her parents from their home in the south of England.
Having gone to bed at 11pm, she was woken abruptly by the sound of her bedroom window being put through at around 3am.
Sharp, who was only 17 himself at the time and wearing a face covering, then climbed through, before raping her, the court heard.
He was disturbed by a noise and fled through the front door as the woman was left in tears.
She raised the alarm with her halls neighbour and they called the police from a nearby payphone.
Despite efforts by detectives to trace the culprit, the case went cold.
Swabs taken from the victim were kept and stored for almost 50 years, until modern technology allowed detectives to make progress in 2023.
Samples returned a partial match to an existing male on the police database.
Delving deeper, they obtained samples from the man’s male relatives and finally had a breakthrough with Sharp’s DNA proving an exact match.
He was arrested from his home in Copland Meadows in Totnes, Devon.
The court heard that he had not lived far from the halls of residence in Leeds at the time of the rape.
He was also known to ride motorbikes in the 70s, with the victim telling police at the time that her attacker had been wearing motorbike-type clothing.
Sharp denied he was responsible but could “not account” for his DNA.
He was quickly convicted by the jury.
Following the verdict, Detective Sergeant Richard Ord, of the Major Investigation Review Team, said: “At the heart of this investigation is a woman who has been scarred by the events of 48 years ago for her whole adult life.
“She has told officers that she remembers the crime committed against her on that day in 1977 like it was yesterday.
“Sharp has consistently denied this offence and taken no responsibility for his actions. The evidence we were able to gather was compelling and has resulted in him being convicted of this offence.
“No prison sentence can make up for the life term of trauma that the victim has been subjected to, but I hope that she feels that some form of justice has now been served.
“This investigation is an example of the work that we do within the Major Investigation Review Team under Op Recall reviewing non-recent rape and serious sexual offence cases.
“Forensic science is continually developing, and we will utilise any available scientific advancements to solve cases, protect the public and get victims the outcomes they deserve.”