In a major development in one of the UK’s most serious miscarriages of justice, a man has been convicted of a 2003 rape that led to the wrongful imprisonment of Andrew Malkinson.
Paul Quinn, 52, was found guilty after fresh forensic analysis identified his DNA on the victim’s clothing more than two decades after the attack, The Guardian reported.
The conviction follows a renewed forensic review that uncovered Quinn’s DNA on samples collected at the crime scene. The material had remained unresolved for years.
According to the report, unidentified DNA had been known to investigators as early as 2007, but further testing was not pursued at the time.
Quinn was convicted of two counts of rape, attempted strangulation and grievous bodily harm. He is due to be sentenced in June.
The case is directly linked to the wrongful conviction of Andrew Malkinson, who was jailed in 2004 and spent 17 years in prison while maintaining his innocence.
His conviction was overturned in 2023 after DNA evidence pointed to another suspect, making it one of the most high-profile wrongful convictions in modern UK legal history.
Malkinson said the verdict delivers long-awaited justice, but questioned why earlier police action did not prevent his imprisonment.
The case has renewed scrutiny of the original police investigation, with questions over why Quinn, a known offender living near the scene, was not identified earlier.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct is investigating several officers over potential misconduct, including possible failures in handling and disclosing evidence.
Authorities are also examining whether Quinn could be linked to other serious sexual offences during the period he remained unidentified.
