Great Yarmouth Man Jailed Over 40 Years After Cold Case Rape Conviction

A man named Michael Elksnis, aged 69, has been sentenced to five years in prison and placed on the sex offenders register after being convicted of a rape he committed over 40 years ago. The assault occurred in the early hours of August 20, 1981, when he attacked and raped a woman in an alleyway in Luton. The victim was attempting to return home when Elksnis repeatedly asked her to go with him, subsequently offering to help find a taxi. He then led her into an alleyway where he committed the rape. The case was reopened after detectives re-examined evidence and found a DNA match linking him to the crime. Detective Sergeant Jo Goodson from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit stated: "This was a predatory attack by a man who saw an opportunity to prey on a lone woman. Elksnis was able to proceed with his life for years while the victim endured the lasting effects of being assaulted." The victim displayed bravery by reliving this trauma four decades later. Elksnis’s conviction illustrates the importance of advancements in forensic DNA technology as he was only identified after re-examining evidence from the cold case. The judge at Luton Crown Court sentenced him to five years and mandated his registration as a sex offender. Bedfordshire Police confirmed the case resolution, highlighting the dedication to justice through modern investigative techniques.