A MAN HAS BEEN SENTENCED to 16 years in prison for rapes and assaults committed on 20 August, 1984, after a cold case team used developments in forensic technology to track him down.

The Metropolitan Police said that no suspects were identified at the time of the original investigation.

However, a team of detectives who reviewed the case recently examined palm prints from the scene using new forensic techniques which identified the attacker.

Robert Clarke, 43, was convicted of several charges including rape, indecent assault, false imprisonment and aggravated burglary, and sentenced to serve a number of concurrent sentences totalling 16 years. He had denied all the charges.

Police said he had broken into a flat in West Norwood on the night of 20 August, 1984, and threatened the two occupants. He raped the woman twice and indecently assaulted the man, before forcing the man to sexually assault the woman. He also stole some jewellery and cash.

Clarke is currently serving a 30 month sentence for burglaries committed in 2007.