On 8 January 2011, in Leicester, UK, Donatas Venclovas launched a rapid series of sexual attacks on three women, marking him as a serial sex offender. The incidents unfolded within approximately one hour in the early morning, beginning in the city centre and culminating in a park. CCTV footage and witness descriptions confirmed that the same man was responsible for all assaults, which involved indecent exposure, groping, and an attempted rape.
The first assault occurred shortly before 7:40am on Rutland Street, where Venclovas grabbed a 25-year-old woman from behind, placing one hand around her neck and the other between her legs. Minutes later, near St Nicholas Circle, he targeted a 74-year-old woman, exposing himself and placing his hand up her skirt in a sexual assault. He fled after being disturbed by a passerby and proceeded to The Rally park in Tudor Road, where he attacked a 57-year-old woman around 8:50am. There, he pushed her to the ground after she witnessed him with his hands down his trousers, attempting to remove her clothing. The victim fought back by biting his hand and screaming, which alerted a nearby resident and forced him to flee. Crucial DNA evidence was recovered from her face and inside her mouth, providing a forensic profile of the offender.
Leicestershire Police launched an extensive investigation immediately after the reports, reviewing hours of CCTV footage, conducting house-to-house enquiries, issuing public appeals, and releasing an e-fit image of the suspect. Despite these efforts, the DNA profile did not match anyone on the national police database at the time, and the perpetrator remained unidentified. In 2012, the same DNA profile was discovered on a fence at a burgled property in London, but the suspect's identity was still unknown, leaving the case unsolved for over a decade.
A breakthrough occurred in February 2025 when Venclovas, then 34 and residing in Craven Gardens, Ilford, was arrested in London on suspicion of assault. A DNA sample taken during custody matched the 2011 profile, prompting Leicestershire Police's specialist rape and serious sexual assault investigation team to reopen the case. Detectives, led by Detective Constable Shannon Hughes, meticulously reviewed historical evidence, reconnected with two of the surviving victims, and informed the family of the third victim, who had passed away. The renewed investigation built a compelling case without requiring the victims to testify in court.
Venclovas was charged with one count of attempted rape and three counts of sexual assault. He pleaded guilty to all four offences at the start of his trial in August 2025 at Leicester Crown Court. On 3 October 2025, he was sentenced to a total of seven years and two months in prison. Detective Constable Shannon Hughes commented on the resolution: 'For more than a decade the women in the case have had to live with knowing the man who attacked them had not been identified and could still be out there.' Detective Inspector Lorna Granville added: 'This case clearly highlights that justice can be achieved, no matter how much time has passed. Unsolved cases will always be reinvestigated should new evidence or information come to light.' The case was reported by Leicestershire Police, underscoring the role of forensic advancements and police perseverance in delivering justice after 14 years.