Victim’s video interview helps convict rapist from beyond the grave after sickening attack

Kristian John Franks has this week been jailed for eight years and nine months following the rape of a woman he met on a night out in 2017.

The victim initially went to the police but then dropped the case after she was made subject to threats.

Her case was reopened when 16-year-old Leah Bedford reported to the police that she had been raped on September 6, 2023.

Neither of the women knew Franks, and diligent work from police investigators and the prosecution allowed them to use Leah’s evidence in relation to the 2017 attack once they had re-contacted the original victim.

Tragically, Leah was reported missing on September 20, 2023 and her body was recovered from the River Ouse eight days later.

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North Yorkshire Police said Franks, of no fixed abode, had met his victim in 2017 at a bar before they shared a taxi, but she declined his invitation to go into his home.

After being dropped off elsewhere, she discovered Franks had followed the taxi in his van. He drove her to a secluded location where he raped her when she refused to have sex with him.

Franks was arrested but denied the offence and claimed all actions were consensual. The victim later withdrew her consent to continue with the investigation, and the case was dropped.

Six years later, Leah was targeted by Franks, 35, on Scarcroft Road in York.

Witnesses described Leah being completely unaware of where she was, and Franks told another witness that he knew her and would take her home.

Police said Leah had reported that Franks drove her to an area of York where he sexually assaulted her.

Leah managed to flee, flag down a passing motorist and was taken to hospital due to injuries sustained during the attack.

Franks was identified by his vehicle, and again denied any wrongdoing and said his actions were consensual.

He was charged with two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault by penetration and remanded into custody, while cold case detectives re-examined the 2017 case on account of neither of his victims knowing Franks before the allegations were made.

The victim, knowing that Franks was charged with raping Leah, re-engaged with the investigation.

Due to her death and the issues being one of consent, Leah’s case was withdrawn at court and Franks was acquitted as a result of it being withdrawn and released from custody. He has not been convicted of the offence.

However, prosecuting barrister Christopher Rose was able to successfully apply to the Recorder of York, HHJ Morris, to introduce Leah’s case as bad character evidence for the 2017 case.

He argued there was ‘a clear unlikelihood of coincidence where two unconnected women would make similar allegations about the same man’.

The witnesses in Leah’s case were called to give evidence in the new trial relating to the 2017 case and Leah’s video interview was played to the jury.

Franks was jailed for eight years and nine months following a trial, and was also given an extended licence for 14 years and given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 20 years on October 30.

Senior investigator Amy Gilgrist, from North Yorkshire Police, said: “The victim of the 2017 case showed immense courage to come to court eight years later and she gave compelling and impactful evidence against her abuser.

“I also want to thank every single witness who attended to provide evidence, at short notice, in such a distressing case.

“Franks has tried throughout the whole of this investigation, to undermine the accounts of his victims.

“He believes himself to be above the law and has shown no remorse for the acts he carried out.

“The jury has established, following all the evidence put to them, that he is guilty and will face the consequences of his actions.

“I hope this verdict can bring some comfort to the victim and Leah's family, knowing that both women have been heard, listened to and believed."