Swanley rapist's appeal denied (From News Shopper)

Swanley rapist's appeal denied

12:59pm Thursday 1st November 2012 in News By George Sargent

A SWANLEY pensioner serving eight years behind bars for the rape of a teenager, more than 30 years ago, has lost an appeal to have his sentence reduced.

Geoffrey Stoneham, 66, of Walnut Way, committed the rape on a 17-year-old girl in High Wycombe back in 1980.

He was finally jailed at Aylesbury Crown Court in October 2009 after admitting the crime in a 2008 cold case review.

He challenged his sentence yesterday (October 31) at London's Criminal Appeal Court.

His lawyers argued he should be given time off for naming his accomplice Norman Stanley, 63, of Great Billington in Bedfordshire who was given a nine year jail sentence in 2010 for the rape.

But Stoneham’s appeal was dismissed by the judges who said his decision to reveal the other rapist was not motivated by remorse and only came a year after he was sentenced.

Lord Justice Pitchford told the court how the victim was walking back from the cinema 32 years ago when she passed Stoneham.

He grabbed her from behind and thrust “a pointed article” into her back which she believed was a knife.

He then dragged her up a railway embankment where Stanley was waiting.

The pair took it in turns to rape her before leaving and saying they would kill her if she moved within five minutes.

She gathered her clothes and ran home before reporting the incident to police.

Stoneham was finally convicted after his DNA was found on the 28-year-old evidence.

In his statement to the police, Stoneham said he played a "secondary" role in what he called the "so-called rape".