DNA leads police to rapist – 19 years after assault

Mike Dixon, now 38, was eventually snared by his DNA for the 1991 attack after work by a police cold case review team.

Dixon followed his 18-year-old victim as she walked to a bus stop in Hull at 10.15pm on March 22 1991 and dragged her at knifepoint onto wasteland.

She screamed – but he told her "Scream once more and I'll kill you" before attacking her.

Police launched a huge manhunt – but Dixon later moved to Essex where he married.

He was finally caught when DNA was taken after he was stopped and arrested for driving without insurance in the county in June.

Detectives from Humberside Police found the match when they ran DNA from the crime scene through the national police computer.

Unemployed Dixon, also known as Graham Thorpe, now faces a long jail term when he is sentenced in October after admitting rape at Hull Crown Court.

Detective Superintendent Dena Fleming said she hopes Dixon's victim can now finally move on with her life.

She said: "It is as horrific today for the victim as it was all those years ago. She has had to live with not knowing who or where her attacker was. She can now finally have peace of mind knowing he is behind bars."

Hull resident Margaret Monkman, 60, lived near the scene of the rape and remembers the terrible effect on the community knowing the rapist was still on the loose.

Mrs Monkman said: "Everyone knew everyone else and we were all devastated when we heard about this rape. Children weren't allowed out on their own and people stopped going out generally. If they had to, they would go out in pairs.

"There was a lot of anger and disgust. It took 18 months before the community calmed down."

Local councillor Anita Harrison added: "It was a really frightening time and women were always looking over their shoulders.

"If you wanted to go out at night, you thought twice about it. It was the talk of the area for a long time.

"There was a lot of anger he was never caught but the community just got on with it. It was the victim and her family you had to think about."