Dylan Saunderson

Dylan Saunderson, a 22-year-old man, was convicted of rape following a retrial at Northampton Crown Court. The incident occurred on the morning of 28 September 2023, when Saunderson attacked a woman inside a property in Kettering, Northamptonshire, and raped her. This conviction came after an initial trial in August 2024, where he faced charges of three counts of rape, one count of assault, and one count of administering a noxious substance.

In the first trial, the jury found Saunderson guilty of assault but not guilty on two counts of rape and the noxious substance charge. The third count of rape resulted in a hung jury, leading the victim to support a retrial. The retrial, which lasted four days, concluded on 27 March 2025, with the jury deliberating for just two hours before returning a guilty verdict on the rape charge.

Saunderson was sentenced on the same day as his conviction. For the rape, he received nine years in prison. This sentence ran concurrently with an 18-month term for the assault conviction from the initial trial. Additionally, he was given a six-month consecutive sentence for a separate dangerous dog offence, resulting in a total of nine years and six months imprisonment. He was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

During the sentencing, His Honour Judge Mayo remarked to the court: “This was a prolonged attack which was aggravated by the assault.” The case was investigated by Detective Sergeant Chelsea Noble from Northamptonshire Police's SOLAR Team, who commended the victim's resilience after enduring two trials. The attack was described as a significant instance of violence against women and girls, with Northamptonshire Police emphasising their commitment to victim care and justice.

The conviction was reported by the Northampton Chronicle and Echo on 9 April 2025, highlighting the victim's determination in pursuing the retrial to achieve justice.