Almost 18 years later, 38-year-old Michael H. from Meppel was convicted by the court in Assen for raping a young woman in his hometown. H. was caught last year by a DNA match.
The woman was raped on a Monday morning in November 2005 in a tunnel in Meppel when she was on her way to work on her bicycle. “Stop or I’ll knock you down,” shouted the man who had pinned her with a scooter. She was forced to perform oral sex. DNA from semen traces on the victim’s rain suit was stored in the database of the Netherlands Forensic Institute.
H. had to give up DNA last year because of a conviction. That turned out to match that of the rapist of the woman from Meppel. After the DNA match in the rape case, the police searched the systems for other unsolved sex crimes in which the Meppeler may have been involved. In 2004, a mother reported to the police by telephone about her daughter being assaulted in a tunnel by a man on a scooter on her way home from school.
License plate scooter H.
The girl had remembered the license plate, which turned out to be in the name of Michael H. The girl did not want to file a report then and now. She didn’t want to risk the assailant finding out about her name. H. admitted the rape two weeks ago. He denied assaulting the student. But the court also considers this sex offense proven.
The court notes that in both situations a young woman on a bicycle was rear-ended by a young man on a scooter. In both situations the women were unexpectedly touched or grabbed by the scooter rider and an attempt was made to stop them. The student managed to get away after the assault. “The victims were each cycling alone near a tunnel when they were grabbed by the suspect who came alongside on his scooter.”
Both victims screamed
According to the court, both victims shouted to ensure that H. would stop. “The victim impact statement of the woman who was raped shows that the events and the fear of what else could have happened had a huge impact on her life. For example, she stated that she had to undergo therapy on several occasions in recent years. It has also had a major impact on her love life.”
H. was sentenced to 30 months in prison, ten months of which were suspended. The man has mental problems and is addicted to alcohol and drugs. De Meppeler is considered less responsible. After he has served his sentence, H. is obliged to go to a treatment clinic. He must pay the victim of rape 8,000 euros in compensation.