Convicted rapist Christopher Scott. Photo / Nottinghamshire Police
Convicted rapist Christopher Scott. Photo / Nottinghamshire Police
A "brutal" bus stop rapist was brought to justice 25 years later when he was arrested following a row with his son.
Christopher Scott, 65, repeatedly punched a 17-year-old girl and tried to kidnap her from a dark street in Nottingham in September 1992 but fled when her desperate screams alerted neighbours.
A month later, he abducted an 18-year-old university student from a bus stop at knifepoint before bundling her into the back of his Skoda, tying her wrists and blindfolding her, reports Daily Telegraph UK.
He then drove her to a quiet country park where he raped her twice. Scott told his victim: "All that has happened is we had sex," adding: "I've not been with a woman for two years."
He eventually freed the traumatised teenager, dropping her at the side of the road around a mile from where he had kidnapped her two hours earlier.
Despite extensive media coverage of the attack at the time, including a Crimewatch reconstruction, the former security guard appeared to have evaded justice.
But his DNA was added to the database of unsolved crimes and when Scott was arrested following a domestic row with his adult son in June 2016, his sample threw up a billion-to-one match.
When he was arrested at his home in Heathfield, Nottingham, he exposed himself to two female police officers by opening the robe he was wearing.
He admitted rape, kidnap and robbery last May and was remanded in custody to await sentencing.
Incredibly, the victim of the earlier attack then spotted a newspaper report of his guilty plea, along with a photograph, and immediately recognised him as her attacker.
I actually thought I was misreading it to begin with because it was so completely and utterly out of the blue.
She contacted the police and Scott was re-arrested in prison. He denied that attack but was found guilty by a jury following a three-day trial at Nottingham Crown Court last month.
Ch Supt Rob Griffin, who worked on the case for a decade, said he felt "disbelief" when there was a DNA match.
"I actually thought I was misreading it to begin with because it was so completely and utterly out of the blue," he told the BBC.
"Here we are, nearly 10 years into an investigation and constantly meeting dead ends and then we get this match which we just weren't expecting."
He said it was "incredible" the other victim then recognised Scott from his custody photograph 25 years later.
Scott was on Thursday jailed for 20 years and the judge, Mrs Justice Carr, described the rape as a "brutal, terrifying and sustained attack".
She said the attack on the younger woman was "vicious, violent, terrifying and sexually motivated".
Court sketch of Christopher Scott during his trial. Photo / Telegraph UK
Mrs Justice Carr said: "These were two horrifying attacks which caused terror at the time to these two young women and which have caused them long-term trauma and suffering.
"You chose to hide your guilty secret for years and years. You were arrested for an assault on your assault on your son, and the connection was made.
"Your attitude to these serious offences has been chilling. I have had the advantage of watching you in the witness box and the dock. You are arrogant and dismissive of what you have done.
"I am quite satisfied you pose a significant risk to members of the public, particularly women, of serious harm. I bear in mind your total lack of insight and remorse. Not even in mitigation through your counsel did you offer an apology."
She also imposed an extended licence period of five years.
