BRITAIN: Britain's biggest police force said yesterday it would reopen more than 1,500 unsolved rape cases using new forensic evidence to catch those responsible and unmasking a host of serial rapists in the process.
London's Metropolitan police force said improvements in DNA technology meant that samples on clothes or at the scene of the rapes which were not found at the time of the crimes could now be obtained and checked against a national DNA database.
"If I was a rapist I would be worried because sooner or later we are going to get to you," said Det Chief Insp Richard Walton, head of the Met's rape inquiry unit.
"We will undoubtedly uncover serial rapists who have been totally undetected in the past." Mr Walton said he was optimistic of getting a one-in-three success rate. With the Met re-examining 1,544 rapes committed between 1987 and 1999, that could result in more than 500 cases being solved.
So far 25 cases have been studied by forensic scientists, with DNA evidence providing prime suspects for six offences.
"I think we are obliged to look at these cases again. We have evidence sitting in our laps that could convict people of one of the most serious crimes," Mr Walton said.
Nationwide there were 70,000 rape allegations between 1986 and 1999, Mr Walton said.
"Even if you look at only 10 percent of those cases, that's 7,000 cases that could be looked at. And even if you only get a success in 10 per cent of those, that's 700 cases solved," he added.
Meanwhile, West Yorkshire police said they would ask for help on BBC's Crimewatch programme after uncovering evidence that could lead them to the killer of 11-year-old Lesley Molseed.
She was sexually assaulted and stabbed to death in 1975 after leaving her home in Rochdale on a shopping errand.
After a major police investigation, Stefan Kizsko, a local tax clerk, was convicted of her murder but was released on appeal in 1992. He died shortly afterwards.
Det Supt Max Mclean said he was confident the new evidence would finally lead them to the killer. - (Reuters, PA)