Paul Quinn Sentenced to 24 Years for 2003 Salford Rape, Andrew Malkinson Wrongly Jailed

Paul Quinn, 52, has been sentenced to 24 years for a brutal 2003 rape in Little Hulton, Salford. The conviction follows the wrongful imprisonment of Andrew Malkinson, who served 17 years for Quinn's crime, a egregious miscarriage of justice.

Manchester Crown Court heard that Quinn's DNA was subsequently identified on the victim's clothing, and evidence showed he had researched police retention policies for DNA samples online. Quinn, a father-of-six from Exeter, was found guilty in April of strangulation and grievous bodily harm alongside the rape charge. His 24-year sentence comprises 21 years in prison with an extended three-year licence, making him eligible for parole in 14 years – a shorter period than Malkinson unjustly served.

Andrew Malkinson, 60, expressed profound insult at Quinn's lighter sentence compared to the life imprisonment he received, stating, “I am insulted that this violent, depraved individual… has received a softer sentence than was imposed on me, an innocent man.” Malkinson hopes Quinn will not receive parole, arguing that anything less would not constitute justice. He was wrongly identified in an identity parade and imprisoned in 2004, with his appeals failing in 2012 and 2020. His conviction was only quashed in 2023, three years after his release.

The victim, commended as a “hero” by the judge, detailed the lasting impact of the attack, which left her with disfigurement and scarring. Quinn had a history of sexual offences, including a 1992 conviction for underage sex, which led to his DNA being on record and eventually linking him to the 2003 assault.

The case continues to generate scrutiny, with a public inquiry underway into failings that could have exonerated Malkinson a decade earlier. Five former Greater Manchester Police officers and one serving officer are under investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct, and both the chair and chief executive of the Criminal Cases Review Commission have resigned over the matter. Greater Manchester Police has appealed for further potential victims of Quinn to come forward, acknowledging the outcome has arrived “two decades too late.”