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Guilty verdict after historic rape case re-opened

Press Releases

Published: 18/04/2011

The jury at Portsmouth Crown Court today returned a guilty verdict against a man who was arrested and charged last year in relation to a historic rape case.

On March 12, 1985, a 19-year-old girl was walking home from a friend’s house in Gosport when she was attacked by a man who forced her into his car and raped her.

As part of Operation Galaxy, the case was re-opened and the DNA evidence taken at the time of the offence has been examined using the improved technology available today.

Michael Slevin, 52, was today found guilty of kidnap, two counts of rape and two counts of indecent assault.

Following the guilty verdict, Detective Sergeant Roy Stephenson said, “The conclusion of this trial at Portsmouth Crown Court today is a significant milestone in the investigation of the abduction and rape of a young woman in the Gosport area in 1985. More importantly, it also signifies an important milestone for the victim, who has endured almost 26 years of having to come to terms with this horrendous crime, and we are very grateful for her cooperation and support in bringing this man to justice.”

Operation Galaxy is a team of detectives who are dedicated to working on historic stranger rape cases dating back to 1980. Using a review process that involves examination of forensic evidence taken at the time of an incident, cases which were unsolved at the time but now may be solved using improved DNA matching techniques are re-opened.

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