Bury St Edmunds - Man jailed for rape

A man has been jailed for rape of a woman which occurred in the Tuddenham area near Bury St Edmunds seven years previously.

58 year old Domonic Rowan of no fixed abode was sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court on Friday 4 October to 12 years in custody and a further six years on licence.

It follows a six day trial in March earlier this year where he was found guilty of rape by a jury.

The victim reported she had been raped in February 2017 whilst the two of them had been at her home address, at this time Rowan was operating under an alias of Aaron Royer.

Rowan then evaded police by use of multiple aliases before being eventually located in 2022 in Blackpool.

He is to serve at least two thirds of his jail term before being eligible for parole.

Det Sgt Harger from Safeguarding and Investigations based at Bury St Edmunds said: “This result I hope will demonstrate our determination to secure convictions against offenders regardless of how long ago the offence took place. Rowan was determined to avoid capture by the police but this conviction makes very clear our commitment to prosecuting such offenders. I hope that it also encourages anyone else who is a victim of this type of offence to have the confidence to come forward. Any allegation will be fully investigated and we have dedicated specially trained officers who work with the victims of rape and sexual assault.”

“I would also like to thank the victim for her courage, patience and quiet sense of dignity she has shown throughout the entire experience – it will have been a long and extremely challenging time for her so I hope this sentence will start to bring some closure for her, although what Rowan did will understandably never leave her.”

To report rape, sexual assault and other sexual offences please visit: https://www.suffolk.police.uk/ro/report/rsa/alpha-v1/v1/rape-sexual-assault-other-sexual-offences/

Suffolk also has a dedicated Sexual Assault Referral Centre and a team of specialist ISVAs (independent sexual violence advisors) who support any victims who come forward to report rape or serious sexual offences, either to police or directly to the SARC. For more information, visit https://theferns-suffolk.org.uk/