Man Convicted of Raping Woman in Fulham in the Nineties
Cold case review of the forensic evidence lead to Andrew Boys being caught
A man who raped a women in Fulham in 1998 has been jailed after new forensic techniques led to him being identified as the attacker.
52-year-old Andrew Boys from Sutton was sentenced to five years after a cold case review gave a positive DNA match.
Andrew Boys
The court heard how Boys had been driving in central London when the victim - who was aged 26 at the time of the offence - got into his car, believing it to be a mini-cab. As the car neared her home in southwest London, Boys drove to a remote spot in Bagley’s Lane.
Fearing for her safety, the woman tried to get out of the car but Boys had locked all the doors. He forced her into the back of the car before raping her. During the attack, the woman attempted to flee the car by forcing the door, but Boys threatened to ‘dump her in the river’ if she did.
After the attack, Boys drove the victim home where she contacted police.
An initial investigation failed to identify a suspect, but the breakthrough came years later when Boys was finally arrested for an unrelated matter. In 2015, a DNA review of forensic evidence gathered at the time of the attack gave a positive match to Boys.
He was arrested at his address in Sutton on 3 December 2015 and charged with rape and false imprisonment.
On Thursday, 7 September, following a trial at Southwark Crown Court, Boys was found guilty of rape - the charge of false imprisonment was ordered to lie on file.
Detective Sergeant Gemma Robb, of the Child Abuse and Sexual Offences Command, who led the most recent investigation, said, "The fact that this attack happened nearly 20 years ago acted as no barrier to us in our pursuit of Boys. I hope this sentencing encourages victims that no matter how much time has passed, we will continue to pursue those responsible.
“I trust that Boys’ conviction can help the woman he attacked to move on from her horrific ordeal. Anyone who has been the victim of such an attack should contact police and report the crime, you will be believed and you will be supported."
September 8, 2017