Donatas Venclovas 34

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A man who evaded justice for 14 years has been jailed thanks to a major forensic breakthrough and the perseverance of a specialist police department.

Donatas Venclovas was sentenced to more than seven years in prison at Leicester Crown Court today (Friday 3 October) after admitting a series of sexual offences.

In 2011 three women were attacked in Leicester by the same man – all within the space of around an hour.

The final assault left crucial DNA evidence, but the-now 34-year-old of Craven Gardens, Ilford, wasn’t identified until a breakthrough in February this year linked him to the unsolved crimes.

The 2011 investigation

On Saturday 8 January 2011, police received a report of an attempted rape in The Rally park in Tudor Road, involving a-then 57-year-old woman.

Around 8.50am, the victim was pushed to the ground after she witnessed the suspect with his hands down his trousers. 

He attempted to remove her clothing, but she fought back, biting his hand and screaming for help, which alerted a resident in a home close by and forced him to flee.

In the immediate aftermath of the attack, detectives launched a large-scale investigation.

DNA recovered from the victim’s face and inside of her mouth provided a vital forensic profile of the offender, but it did not match anyone on the national police database at the time.

As part of investigative enquiries, police issued a witness appeal together with a e-fit of the suspected perpetrator. Following this, a further two women came forward to report being indecently assaulted by a similarly described man on the same morning.

CCTV enquiries confirmed it was the same man and they had both occurred in the city centre, shortly before the attack in the park.

The first happened shortly before 7.40am in Rutland Street. The woman, who was 25 at the time, was grabbed from behind. One hand grabbed her around the neck and the other hand between her legs.

Minutes later, near to St Nicholas Circle, he exposed himself and sexually assaulted another woman – then aged 74 – by putting his hand up her skirt.

He fled after being disturbed by someone nearby and made his way to the park when the third incident took place.

Detectives undertook extensive enquiries at the time of the attacks – including reviewing hours of CCTV, public appeals, and house-to-house.

Statements were also taken from key witnesses but despite a thorough investigation the suspect wasn’t identified.

Hope for the investigation came the following year, in 2012, when the same DNA profile was uncovered on the fence of a property that was burgled in London.

The identity of the suspect remained unknown.

2025: case reopened

The breakthrough came in February 2025 when Donatas Venclovas was arrested in London on suspicion of assault.

A DNA sample taken in custody matched the profile from the 2011 attacks – giving detectives the evidence needed to reopen the case.

Leicestershire Police’s specialist rape and serious sexual assault investigation team immediately launched a renewed investigation.

Detectives meticulously reviewed all the historical evidence in an effort to build a compelling case against the defendant.

Due to the length of time passed, tracking down all three victims initially proved difficult.

The victim who was attacked in The Rally was the first to be found. The victim in the Rutland Street incident was also identified. Unfortunately, the victim who was 74 in 2011, had since passed away but detectives were able to trace her family to inform them of the development in the case.

Despite the difficulties, the officer in the case – Detective Constable Shannon Hughes – remained committed to securing justice for the women.

She said:

“For more than a decade the women in the case have had to live with knowing the man who attacked them had not been identified and could still be out there.

“The actions of one of the victims on that morning in 2011 has ultimately led to this case finally being solved but the case still required a full review of old material, as well as reconnecting with the victims and carrying out new enquiries to ensure the case was fit for trial in 2025.

“Luckily the victims have been spared any added trauma of having to relive what happened to them in court and hopefully today will put an end to what has been many years of living with unresolved pain.”

Venclovas was charged with one count of attempted rape and three counts of sexual assault. Faced with the overwhelming evidence he pleaded guilty to all four offences at the start of the trial in August.

He was sentenced to a total of seven years and two months. 

Detective Inspector Lorna Granville added:

“At the heart of this investigation are the three women who were assaulted that day 14 years ago. They have carried the burden of these crimes for years and it is their courage and determination that has helped bring Venclovas to justice. We recognise the immense impact these crimes have had on their lives, and I want to pay tribute to them for the strength they have shown throughout.

“I also want to commend the officers and staff from our Signal team – Leicestershire’s Police specialist rape investigation unit – specifically the work of DC Shannon Hughes, who with the team, has worked tirelessly over the past nine months to bring this case to court. Their persistence, professionalism, and absolute commitment to securing justice for victims has been outstanding.

“This case clearly highlights that justice can be achieved, no matter how much time has passed. Unsolved cases will always be reinvestigated should new evidence or information come to light.”