19-year-old found guilty of rape at Shrewsbury Crown Court

Outside Shrewsbury Crown Court, Temporary Detective Chief Inspector Steve Tonks spoke after seeing Jamie Findlater found guilty.

The rape happened as the victim, a woman in her 20s, made her way along a footpath towards Randlay from Stafford Park and resulted in a major police investigation being launched involving a large team of officers in Telford.

Speaking about the conviction, T/DCI Tonks said:

“I am very satisfied with the outcome at court today and hope that this conviction acts as some consolation for the victim and her family as they move forward.

“Only Jamie Findlater himself knows the reason why this attack took place – an attack that has had a serious impact on the lives of many people and caused considerable concern to local residents.

“I cannot praise the victim highly enough for her bravery and determination following the attack and I would personally like to thank her for the patience ad dignity she has shown throughout the investigation and what has been a long and complex criminal justice process.

“I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank the many members of the public that took the time to come forward and offer information to my investigating team. Officers visited many local people throughout the full duration of the enquiry and a consistent theme was the overwhelming sense of support and assistance offered by every member of the public. They all recognised the importance of catching a man who saw fit to attack a complete stranger in broad daylight.

“In addition, I’d also like to place on record my thanks to the officers in the investigation team who worked tirelessly on the case for nearly two years. Whilst incidents of this nature remain extremely rare in Telford, I hope this conviction demonstrates that when they do occur, West Mercia Police are determined to catch those responsible to ensure that the region remains a safe place to live and work.”