'Evil' Peterborough rapist jailed for 1985 attack
A man described as "one of the most dangerous sexual predators in the UK" has been sentenced to life for raping a woman more than 30 years ago.
Ian Harper, 57, originally from Hertfordshire, broke into his victim's home in Peterborough in July 1985.
Wearing a balaclava, he raped her while holding a screwdriver to her throat.
Harper, who is currently in jail for other rapes and burglaries, admitted the attack. He was caught after a review of unsolved cases.
Harper, formerly known as Ian Harrison, attacked the woman, in her 30s, as she waited for her children to come home from school.
He demanded money before carrying out the "horrendous" attack, Cambridgeshire Police said.
The crime went unsolved despite "extensive inquiries" at the time.
However, he was caught as part of an operation which began a year ago to review undetected rapes and sexual offences which occurred in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire between 1974 and 1999.
In January this year, Harper's DNA was matched to the crime by detectives and "cold case review scientists".
Det Insp Alan Page, from the three counties' major crime unit, said: "Ian Harper is an evil man.
"He is one of the most dangerous sexual predators in the UK and to secure a further prison term against him will mean our communities are protected from him committing further offences."
Harper, who is currently serving an indeterminate sentence for multiple rape and burglary offences in Hertfordshire in 1994, admitted rape, indecent assault and burglary in relation to the Peterborough attack when he appeared at the city's crown court via video link on Friday.
He was sentenced to life with a minimum of four years for rape and 12 months each for burglary and indecent assault, to run concurrently.