POLICE HAVE RELEASED CCTV footage of the movements of a man jailed for a series of rapes and attempted kidnappings.
Clive Howard, aged 57, was given a life sentence at Norwich Crown Court today after admitting a series of rape and kidnap offences, dating back to 1986.
He will serve a minimum of 10 years and three months in prison.
All the offences occurred in Norwich and Cambridge in the UK.
He first came to police attention last year after a woman in her 20s was raped after getting a lift from Howard on a night out.
He took her to a pub car park and raped her. While she was trying to take a photograph of the car’s number plate, Howard threw the victim’s phone into a bush, but after he sped off the woman found her phone and was able to ring police.
CCTV footage
Police examined CCTV footage and were able to get part of a number plate as well as features of the car involved, including a sunroof and roof-rack.
This helped them narrow down their search and Howard was identified as the car’s owner.
After his arrest, Howard’s DNA was put on the national database. It was soon discovered that his DNA matched an unsolved case in Cambridgeshire in 2013.
Police found similarities to other attempted kidnaps and rapes, from between 1986 and 2014.
Howard was charged with seven counts of rape, three counts of attempted kidnap and one count of attempted rape. The six victims are all adult women.
Detective Sergeant Chris Burgess, who led the investigation, said:
Howard is an extremely dangerous sexual predator and I am under no illusion that more women would have been attacked had he not been caught.
The life sentence demonstrates the seriousness of his actions; Howard would prey on women walking alone at night and there is no doubt the streets are a safer place with Howard in prison.
Howard, of Bury Street, Stowmarket, in Suffolk, worked as a mechanic in Ipswich and was described as a “quiet man” and a “loner” by DS Burgess.
Howard admitted in police interview to driving the streets looking for street workers and would use dating websites to meet women.
Since his conviction, police have received about a dozen calls from women, and officers are following up potential leads.
Police encouraged anyone who has been a victim of sexual assault to come forward, saying their case will be dealt with sensitively.
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