MAN RAPING WOMAN IN 2003 AFTER DNA LINK LEADS TO 17-YEAR WRONGFUL IMPRISONMENT OF INNOCENT MAN
Update 05/06/2026: Paul Quinn, aged 52 and currently residing in Exeter, was sentenced today (5 June 2026) to an extended prison term of 24 years.He was unanimously convicted on two counts of rape, one count of choking with intent, and one count of grievous bodily harm.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… A rapist who watched on as an innocent man, Andrew Malkinson, spent 17 years in jail for a crime he did not commit has finally faced justice.
Paul Quinn, 52, has been found guilty of raping a 33-year-old mother-of-two after stalking and following her, dragging her down an embankment at the side of a motorway, and brutal attack.
The woman was knocked unconscious after being strangled and left bloodied in the early hours of July 19, 2003 off Cleggs Lane in Little Hulton near the M61.
On April 17, Quinn, of Whipton Barton Road, Exeter, was convicted of two counts of rape, inflicting GBH, and attempting to choke, suffocate or strangle with intent.
Quinn’s DNA was linked to the case after a 2019 search of the national DNA database, and evidence from samples held independently of the police led to his conviction.
He is a father of six and had a prior conviction for underage sexual intercourse with a girl under 13 at age 16, which police said would now be categorized as rape.
A public inquiry has been established to examine how such a terrible miscarriage of justice occurred, described as 'one of the worst' in UK history.
Quinn's trial was delayed as details about his link to the case could not be published until March 2026 due to reporting restrictions.
The police have been investigated for mishandling evidence, including the disposal of vital exhibits, but DNA testing contributed to Quinn's conviction.
Quinn attempted to explain the presence of his DNA on the victim by claiming a promiscuous lifestyle, but he remains guilty of the crimes committed.
The verdict was met with apologies from police officials for the wrongful imprisonment of Malkinson and acknowledgment of systemic failures.
