Man jailed over 2003 Salford rape for which Andrew Malkinson was wrongly imprisoned

Paul Quinn, 52, to serve up to 21 years for attack that led to one of worst miscarriages of justice in modern British history

A man who evaded justice for nearly two decades has been jailed for 21 years for a “savage” rape for which Andrew Malkinson was wrongly imprisoned.

Paul Quinn, 52, was found guilty of the 2003 attack in Salford after a fresh forensic analysis found traces of his DNA on the victim’s clothing.

Quinn followed the woman for about a mile before dragging her into a secluded woodland where he strangled her unconscious then raped her twice.

The victim, now in her late 50s, sat at the back of the courtroom and wiped away tears as her attacker was sentenced.

The judge, Mr Justice Bright, said it was a “minor miracle” that the woman survived. He described her as “truly a hero,” saying labels such as victim, complainant and survivor did not do her justice.

Sentencing Quinn to a maximum of 21 years in prison, Bright said he would serve at least 14 years in custody before he is eligible for parole.

Malkinson spent 17 years in jail for a crime he did not commit before being released in December 2020.

In a statement read to the court, the woman said the ordeal “has stayed with me and will remain with me for life”.

“Every day I look at my face and see the disfigurement, the scarring. It is a permanent reminder of that night and what I experienced. I have to live with that,” she said.

The woman, who cannot be identified, said that 23 years after the attack she lives with “permanent anxiety” and “in constant fear that someone is behind me, even in places that others wouldn’t consider a risk, like the supermarket”.

She added: “For him, it was one night of his life. For me it was one night that changed my life.”

Quinn, a father of six, was not investigated at the time of the rape despite being a convicted sex offender who lived near the scene.

Instead, detectives focused on Malkinson, who was jailed in 2004 and spent 17 years in prison protesting his innocence.

His conviction was quashed in 2023, becoming one of the most notorious miscarriages of justice in modern British history.

Quinn is being investigated as a potential suspect in other serious sexual assaults, including three rapes. The case is now being examined by a judge-led inquiry and by the police watchdog.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating five former Greater Manchester police officers on suspicion of gross misconduct, including one who is under criminal investigation. A sixth officer, still serving in the force, is being investigated on suspi