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Crime Desk
In what is believed to be the first case of its kind, convicted rapist Michael John Roberts has today received a whole life sentence for a series of violent rapes and burglaries, he committed in Southwark during the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. Roberts, 45 (DoB:03.04.66) was previously found guilty of three counts of rape, four counts of burglary, two indecent assaults, two counts of GBH with intent and one count of Buggery.
He was arrested as the result of a cold case review conducted by detectives from the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) Specialist Crime Review Group.
Between December 1988 and June 1990 Roberts committed a series of violent burglaries, raping, beating and indecently assaulting lone women in their homes.
Roberts’ youngest victim was 57 and his oldest was 83 years old. Each of the victims lived less than a mile from his home addresses in Gaywood Street, Southwark and then St. James Road in Southwark - Some lived much closer.
He inflicted extreme violence on all of his victims. On Boxing Day night in 1988, he raped and assaulted a 57 year old woman in her flat in Redman House, SE1. The assault was so brutal his victim suffered a broken jaw and a fractured eye socket, amongst other serious injuries.
The original enquiry linked the offences by methodology and detectives launched an extensive investigation to find the person responsible. Officers interviewed and eliminated 46 men but the perpetrator was not identified and the case remained unsolved.
In 2000 the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) began a review of the unsolved offences and fresh forensic opportunities were identified.
During the first investigation DNA evidence was recovered from some of the crime scenes however at that time the technology did not exist to identify the offender.
Detectives set about re-examining this evidence using the latest techniques and technology. A major part of the review also involved the elimination of similar offences and potential suspects.
In 2005 the reviewing detective had a DNA match and as a result Roberts was identified as the suspect. At the time of his arrest he was serving a life sentence for the brutal robbery and assault of an elderly man in his home in Lee, Lewisham.
Investigating Officer, Detective Inspector Nathan Eason, Homicide and Serious Crime Command, said: “Michael Roberts had no regard for the lives of others, and picked on those least able to defend themselves. In the late 1980’s he went even further by committing vile sexual attacks which are beyond most people’s comprehension.”
HHJ Stephen Roberts also commended all the police officers involved in the investigation for their thorough investigation.
Outside Southwark Crown Court, DI Eason read a statement on behalf of the victims families:
Unfortunately none of his victims lived to see him brought to justice today.
The families have expressed a deep satisfaction with the sentence handed down today and they have asked that thanks be given to officers from the Specialist Crime Review Group and recognize that the work of ex Detective Chief Inspector Brian Bowden-Brown was p significant in bringing Roberts to justice.
They would also like to thank the Forensic Science Service, the police investigation team, the prosecution counsel and the jury.
They take great satisfaction in knowing that Roberts will never be able to devastate another life.
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