David Sharp

David Sharp, 66, of Copland Meadows, Totnes, Devon, was convicted of rape and indecent assault and jailed for six years at Leeds Crown Court on 23 April 2026.

The offences occurred in October 1977 when Sharp raped an 18-year-old woman on her first night in Leeds after she had moved to the city to begin her degree course. The victim was attacked shortly after arriving in the city, an event that profoundly affected her life and remained unresolved for nearly five decades.

The case was originally investigated in 1977 but no suspect was identified at the time. It was reopened by West Yorkshire Police’s Major Investigation Review Team as part of a cold case review. Although Sharp’s DNA was not on police databases, investigators identified him after linking a similar DNA profile to a close family member.

Following his conviction, the victim released a statement describing the lasting trauma she had endured. She stated: “On 2 October 1977, I was just 18 years and three months old when I arrived in Leeds to start my degree course. My heart aches for that young woman.” She further described Sharp as “a delusional, cowardly individual, who is cruel to the core.”

Detective Inspector Stephen King of the Major Investigation Review Team said the victim had shown “incredible courage” in pursuing justice and noted that “no prison sentence can make up for the ongoing trauma” she had suffered. Sharp was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment on 23 April 2026.