Man found guilty of rape following attack on woman in Shrewsbury
A man has been found guilty of rape after a woman was attacked in Shrewsbury town centre in July last year.
John Harvey, of Clive Barracks in Tern Hill, Market Drayton, was found guilty at Shrewsbury Crown Court on Thursday 13 February following a nine-day trial.
The court heard how in the early hours of July 7, 2024, the 25-year-old approached a woman in her 20s, who he did not know, in the Mardol area of the town centre.
Harvey then sexually assaulted the woman and raped her twice. He then fled the scene.
The victim contacted police immediately after the incident, and officers were able to quickly locate Harvey hiding in the men's toilets at Shrewsbury Railway Station.
Harvey was then arrested and charged with two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. He was found guilty of all three counts by a jury.
Detective Constable Sam Jones, from Shropshire’s Reactive CID, said: “I would like to thank the victim for her bravery and resilience throughout the entire investigation and trial.
“Harvey committed an evil crime and despite admitting to the offences during interview he then denied them, subjecting the victim and her family to sit through a court trial.
“I welcome the guilty verdict given by the jury at Shrewsbury Crown Court yesterday as Harvey is clearly a very dangerous man.”
Harvey has been remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced at Shrewsbury Crown Court on Thursday 27 March.
