Justice at last for male rape victim

After Mark Sleightholm was sentenced to 11 years in prison at Leeds Crown Court, his victim yesterday described his relief at knowing his assailant was now behind bars.

Sleightholm, of Oxley Street, Richmond Hill, Leeds, was caught through his DNA after original evidence from the attack in 1993 was re-examined as part of West Yorkshire Police's cold case review. He was convicted by a jury earlier this month of robbery, common assault, indecent assault and buggery, as male rape was then charged.

Sentencing him, the Recorder of Leeds, Judge Peter Collier QC said at the time of the attack on April 23, 1993 Sleightholm was 22 and his victim 27.

He approached him from behind as he was walking to work around 5am, struck him over the head with a piece of wood and robbed him of his money.

"You then committed horrific sexual assaults upon him. You dragged him down a ginnel to the playing fields behind a school."

The judge said the victim, who had to relive his ordeal in court, described how he thought he was going to die and co-operated with his attacker's demands which concluded with him being raped.

"You then left him, telling him to keep his face to the ground and count up to 100 whilst you got away."

The jury heard the victim was in Amberton Approach, Gipton, Leeds when he heard footsteps behind him and crossed the road because he was concerned.

Without warning in Amberton Road he was struck on the head and forced to playing fields at the back of Foundry Lane.

Michelle Colborne QC, prosecuting, said the terrified victim begged his attacker not to harm him but his plea were ignored. He reported the attack at work.

In the years that followed he said he was worried going out alone and anxious that his attacker was out there, wondering if he had ever met him or seen him. "Thankfully that is now at an end."

Sleightholm had a previous conviction for robbery and having a firearm with intent that pre-dated the 1993 attack. He was sentenced to four years in a young offender institution in May 1990 for an attack on a taxi driver who was shot in the hand with an air rifle.

The 39-year-old, who lived in the area where the sex attack was carried out, denied at the trial that he was the rapist and claimed the DNA was wrong.

Richard Reed. representing him, told the court yesterday Sleightholm still denied responsibility. He had never been convicted of anything similar but that did not mean he could not understood the suffering felt by the complainant.

After the case the victim said " I am pleased that what happened to me has been recognised by the court and that justice has been done. I feel that I can now put the events of that day behind me and move on with my life.

"Although I have learnt over time how to deal with the effects of what happened, I have always known my attacker was out there. I thought he would never be caught and I would have to live with that.

"I would like to thank the investigating officers from Operation Recall for their support throughout this case and in particular leading up to the trial."

Detective Inspector Howard Atkin of the Major Incident Review Team said: " This case shows there is no hiding place for offenders and that justice has no time limit.

"I would like to praise the courage of the victim in this case who has had to live with this for a very long time. He has been at the focus of our investigation and has supported the prosecution throughout. Justice, release and closure have today finally been delivered to him.

"Incidents like this are thankfully rare, nevertheless this case highlights out ongoing commitment to support victims and protect the community by pursuing offenders and bringing them to justice."