Man jailed for 1994 Prince's Trust trip rape

Peter Neild was already serving a jail sentence for previous sexual offences

A man who raped a teenager while on a trip to the Lake District as part of a Prince's Trust group course has been jailed for life.

Peter Neild, of no fixed address, was found guilty of the 1994 rape after a three-day trial at Chester Crown Court.

Neild, 52, who was already in prison for previous sexual offences, was described by police as a "prolific sex offender".

He was handed a minimum jail term of 11 years, eight months and 83 days.

'Sense of closure'

The trial heard how his 18-year-old victim and Neild were both part of a group who had travelled to the Lake District.

The victim told the jury how during the trip Neild jumped on the victim and removed her trousers, before going on to rape her, despite multiple requests for him to stop.

Cheshire Police said at the time of the incident, the victim felt unable to report the offence but in May 2022 she decided to come forward and an investigation was launched.

Following the sentencing, Det Sgt Helen Harrison, who has described Neild as a "prolific sex offender", welcomed the sentence.

"Although he is already in prison for previous sexual offences, I hope this latest sentence will provide some sense of closure to the victim in this case," she said.

"I would like to again thank the victim for her bravery throughout the investigation, especially after Neild refused to take accountability for his actions and put her through the stress of a trial.

"However, thanks to the evidence that she provided, the jury found Neild guilty of rape and he is now facing the consequences."