Man guilty of Bedford 1999 rape 'cold case'

The woman was attacked on Bromham Road, Bedford, late in the evening on 1 June, 1999

A man has been found guilty of raping a woman in 1999, after his DNA profile was traced to the attack in a "cold case" review.

Donald Kargbo-Reffell, 50, from Princess Street, Clapham, near Bedford, was found guilty at Luton Crown Court.

A woman in her 30s was dragged into bushes and raped as she walked along Bromham Road, Bedford, on 1 June 1999.

The victim said she was still suffering from the effects of the attack.

Bedfordshire Police said the case was re-opened as part of Operation Painter, which started in 2016, to review undetected rapes and sexual offences that occurred between 1974 and 1999.

It said DNA was taken the day after the rape, when the victim reported the attack to police, but at the time they were unable to identify the attacker.

'Commendable courage'

Police said nearly 20 years later, Kargbo-Reffell was identified as a suspect when the DNA from the incident matched his sample on the National DNA Database.

In a victim statement the woman said: "I never want anyone else to go through the suffering that I have been through and still go through.

"I am pleased that the police have reopened this case after all this time."

Det Insp Alan Page said: "The victim was incredibly brave in coming forward to report the attack and we would like to commend her courage, as she had to endure the ordeal of giving evidence and reliving it all again so many years later.

"We take all reports of rape, sexual assault and sexual violence extremely seriously, no matter how long ago they may have happened."

Kargbo-Reffell will be sentenced on 13 November and has been remanded in custody.