September 2023 Barnsley man guilty for rape of young girl A vile and arrogant Barnsley man who raped a 15-year-old girl has been found guilty following a four-day trial at Sheffield Crown Court. The jury heard how on 18 September 2021, around 10pm, Paul Blackshaw, 43, followed the victim on Wentworth Road in Hoyland as she walked home alone from an evening out with friends. A short time later, Blackshaw raped the girl, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, in a nearby field and following his horrendous act, left her there, upset, frightened and alone. A police investigation was immediately launched and following extensive work by the Barnsley CID team, Blackshaw was identified, arrested and interviewed. During Blackshaw’s interview process, he denied raping the girl and had no reasonable rationale for how his DNA had got onto the girl’s clothing. He was charged with rape of a female under 16, and remanded into custody. Remorseless Blackshaw, of Oak Close, was found guilty by a unanimous jury verdict. He has been remanded in custody and will appear for sentencing at Sheffield Crown Court on 6 October 2023.