The prime suspect within the ‘woman within the lake’ homicide of Shani Warren 35 years in the past carried out comparable ‘dreadful assaults’, a court docket has heard.
Donald Robertson, 66, is on trial at Studying Crown Court docket accused of killing the 26-year-old, whose physique was found in Taplow Lake, Buckinghamshire, in 1987.
He additionally denies the kidnap and rape of a 16-year-old woman, who can't be recognized, on July 16, 1981, stated to have taken place lower than 4 miles from the place Ms Warren’s physique was discovered.
The primary day of Robertson’s trial, for which he was not current in court docket, heard he has convictions for raping two ladies aged 14 and 17 in separate incidents.
The assault on the older teenager got here lower than two months after the invention of Ms Warren’s physique in April 1987.
Robertson, who's now aged 66, denies the false imprisonment, indecent assault and homicide of Ms Warren between April 16 and 19 that yr.
He was charged in October 2021 over her dying.
Opening the trial on Friday, prosecutor John Value QC informed the jury Robertson pleaded responsible in October 1981 to the rape of a 14-year-old woman.
The court docket heard the rape, which occurred in August of that yr in Buckinghamshire, noticed Robertson threaten the kid with a damaged bottle and inform her in the course of the assault: ‘Don’t bloody scream ‘cos for those who do, you’ll be scarred.”’
Outlining what he described as ‘distressing element’ within the varied incidents, Mr Value stated there have been similarities in every case.
He stated: ‘The prosecution submits it's related proof as a result of it's recognized and confirmed conduct of Mr Robertson’s which in a number of facets is so like that which is alleged to have been carried out to Shani Warren and (the 16-year-old) as to help, when mixed with different out there proof, in proving that in each instances he was the individual answerable for what occurred to them.’
Jurors additionally heard how, lower than two months after the invention of Ms Warren’s physique, Robertson kidnapped and raped a 17-year-old woman who was strolling from Slough to Maidenhead after lacking the final practice.
The woman had informed how she was ‘frightened for my life’ in the course of the assault in June 1987 and that whereas she didn't see a weapon Robertson ‘completely satisfied me that he had one and that he would use it’.
No-one was arrested on the time and it was not till a reinvestigation in 2010 with the invention of latest scientific proof that Robertson was convicted, the court docket heard.
A decade earlier, he was convicted of housebreaking with intent to commit rape and kidnap after he tricked a lady into opening her room door at a mattress and breakfast in Slough by saying she had a telephone name.
Throughout the incident in April 1990, he pressured her again into her room and assaulted her however she managed to flee.
Within the case of Ms Warren, Mr Value described how her physique was discovered on Easter Saturday in 1987 by a lady strolling her canine.
The witness, who's now deceased, informed police on the time that the very first thing she noticed was a pair of fingers ‘with superbly manicured nails’, tied with one thing purple, later confirmed to be a automotive leap lead.
Mr Value stated that after the physique was taken out of the water, it was clear ‘not solely was it sure hand and foot, but additionally gagged by a chunk of material wrapped across the head and knotted in the direction of the again’.
He stated the police investigation which adopted established she had most definitely died in some unspecified time in the future on the night of the day earlier than, which was Good Friday, and that the autopsy examination gave the reason for dying as drowning.
Mr Value stated there was additionally ‘recent bruising to her neck’ and ‘recent, pin-prick sized haemorrhages or bleeds’ on the pores and skin of her face, eyes, and scalp, which, when put collectively ‘pointed strongly to an act of strangulation occurring earlier than she died’.
The court docket heard Robertson was questioned by police in 1981, six years earlier than Ms Warren’s dying, concerning the rape of the 16-year-old woman. He denied the offence on the time and was launched.
The alleged sufferer of that assault will give proof in the course of the present trial, the jury was informed.
Mr Value advised to the jury: ‘Are there not shut similarities between most of the dreadful issues that are recognized to have occurred after they (his victims) had been raped by Donald Robertson, with the equally dreadful issues it seems from the proof had been additionally carried out to Shani Warren, simply earlier than she died?’
He additionally informed the jury that DNA proof will probably be offered in the course of the trial which the prosecution believes hyperlinks the defendant to the costs.
In the beginning of proceedings on Friday, the jury was informed the dock in court docket was empty as a result of the defendant had chosen to not attend the trial.
Mr Justice Wall stated it's Robertson’s personal selection to not attend, that he has a proper to make such a selection and it shouldn't be held towards him.
The trial was adjourned till 10.30am on Tuesday.
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