Adrian Satchwell caught after committing another offence
Adrian Satchwell. Picture: Met Police
March 30, 2023
A man who raped a woman in Acton Park in 2004 has been jailed for 10 and a half years after DNA evidence emerged linking him with the attack.
60-year-old Adrian Satchwell of Dairy Close, Willesden had thought he had escaped justice but nearly nineteen years after the original offence, he is now behind bars.
At around 1:00am on Sunday, 4 July 2004, he carried out the rape along with another man who remains unidentified.
His DNA profile had been obtained at the time of the original offence but there was no matching identity on the national police data base.
The police say they have remained in contact with the woman who was attacked over the last nineteen years and followed numerous lines of enquiry. They chased up several leads including CCTV enquires, issuing e-fits, working with Interpol and the examination of other similar offences at the time.
However, it wasn’t until 2017 when Satchwell was arrested in connection with another sexual assault investigation, that police were able to find a matching sample of DNA. When it was run through the police database, a connection with the 2004 attack was flagged up.
At this point, the Met’s Cold Case team assisted and reviewed the investigation, and identified further tests that could be carried to see if the second suspect could be identified, which was unfortunately proved to be a dead end.
Satchwell was charged with two counts of rape in August 2021 following a lengthy investigation delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Detective Sergeant Susan Phillips, who led the investigation said, “Despite there being a 19 year gap between the rape and today’s outcome, the Met has not given up and remained dedicated to putting the man responsible for this horrifying attack behind bars.
“Satchwell is a violent, predatory rapist and it is a relief to know he will spend many years in prison. What he did to the victim had a profound and lasting impact on her life. He has shown no remorse.
“I was determined to get justice for the victim who has remained stoic over the past 19 years. Her dedication and commitment to the investigation and throughout the trial has led to today’s outcome. She is an incredibly brave woman.”
In an impact statement read out in court, the victim said, “Before this happened to me I had a lot of self-confidence. I would go out with friends but since this has happened I have found that I am a lot more restrictive with what I do. At the time I became a lot more withdrawn, not talking to anyone and devoid of emotion.
“To this day, I find that I am still anxious, I suffer from panic attacks, chest pains and shaking. I walk around in a constant state of hypervigilance.
“I am so grateful for the tenacity of DS Susan Phillips, to purse and delve in to this case and to not let it go. The other police officers and barrister at court made me feel so comfortable and I am so grateful. There have been so many difficult stages along the way, but they have just made it so much more comfortable.
“I am relieved to have had what happened to me validated by the jury. That man is disgusting, he disgusts me that he lied and made up different stories along the way to try and avoid what he did to me.”
Satchwell was sentenced on Wednesday, 29 March at Isleworth Crown Court after being previously found guilty of rape following a trial. After the 10 years and six months imprisonment, he will be on licence for a further two years.
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