A MAN has been convicted at Reading Crown Court today of an historic rape in Tilehurst.

Jimmy Dyer, formally known as Gary Dyer, of St Georges Street, Northampton, pleaded guilty to one count of historic rape on an 18-year-old woman, that took place on the night of October 10, 1988.

On the night, the woman was traveling in a taxi after a night out with friends, and the driver took a wrong turn.

The woman decided to get out of the taxi and walk the rest of her way home from St Michaels Road.

Dyer Dyer grabbed her from behind and led her into the driveway of a house in Heathfield Avenue, where he raped her in the front garden.

He was arrested on Wednesday, June 11 this year.

The historic offence was investigated by Thames Valley Police’s Major Crime Investigation Review Team.

Speaking following the conviction, Principal Investigator Pete Beirne, said: “This was a vicious attack on a young woman which has had a deep and lasting effect on her life.

“In this case we were able to use advances in DNA techniques which enabled us to identify Dyer as the offender more than two decades after the offence took place.

“The Major Crime Investigation Review Team will continue to reinvestigate all unsolved serious cases and using either new legislation, new witnesses or new forensic techniques will try to identify offenders and bring them before the courts.”

Dyer is due to be sentenced at Reading Crown Court on November 7.