Richard Hearnden secures the conviction of a masked rapist who thought he’d committed the perfect crime

Richard Hearnden secured the conviction of Jason Wren, at Lewes Crown Court, on 3 June. Wren, 32, barged into the house of a lone woman in Hastings last November having knocked on her door. Masked and wearing gloves, he threatened to kill her and forcibly raped her before fleeing the scene.

Wren was identified after a Sussex Police major crime team investigation led to him handing himself into the police. However, he denied the offences saying his actions had been arranged in advance with the victim.

In his closing argument to the jury, Richard described Wren’s attempts to cover his tracks as part of his belief that ‘he had committed the perfect crime’. The jury, however, unanimously found him guilty. Wren remains in custody and will be sentenced at a later date.