Man pleads guilty to 1980 rape

Published 16 Jul 2010 09:36

A 52-YEAR-OLD has pleaded guilty to raping a teenage girl in 1980.

Ronald Cheshire was charged after new forensic evidence linked him to the case and pleaded guilty to one count of rape, one of kidnap and one of false imprisonment at Reading Crown Court last Thursday (July 15).

Cheshire, who was already serving a sentence for a murder in 1987, will be sentenced on September 20.

Det Supt Barry Halliday, Head of the Major Crime Review Team (MCRT), said: "Cheshire's guilty plea shows he knew the evidence against him was too strong to dispute.

"This result shows that Thames Valley Police remain committed to the careful review and re-investigation of unsolved historic serious sexual assault and homicide cases. Offender's who think they have got away with a crime years or even decades later, should be aware the MCRT will be doing their utmost to bring them to justice and solve crime."

In 1980 Cheshire approached two 15-year-old girls in Switchback Road, Maidenhead and tried to drag them into his car. One escaped but her friend was taken away and seriously sexually assaulted.

Det Supt Halliday added: "I hope that today's result will give victims of serious sexual crime the confidence to report incidents, the confidence that they will be investigated fully, and the confidence that Thames Valley Police will work tirelessly to bring those responsible to justice. This applies to offences both historic and current.

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