DNA breakthrough results in jail for man nearly 20 years after crime in Shefford
Kennedy Jimmy sentenced to six years for raping teenage girl in 2006
Last updated 13th Feb 2026
Advances in DNA technology have resulted in a prison sentence for Kennedy Jimmy, nearly two decades after he raped a teenage girl in Shefford.
The crime occurred on 7th October 2006 when Jimmy, then aged 25, encountered the victim and her friend in a supermarket car park.
Jimmy arrived in a car driven by a friend.
After the others entered the shop, he forced the victim into the back of the car and assaulted her.
The victim managed to escape and sought help at a nearby pub, where her friend contacted the police.
Despite a thorough investigation at the time, Jimmy, who was only known to the victim as ‘Kenny’, could not be identified.
A Historic Case Solved
Through Operation Painter, which reviews historic rape and sexual assault cases, the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit conducted a forensic analysis that identified a DNA match, leading to Jimmy's arrest in November 2022.
Jimmy, now 44 and from Wessex Court, Sunny Bank in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, was convicted of rape following a five-day trial at Luton Crown Court last October.
He was sentenced today to six years in prison along with a life-long restraining order.
Detective Constable Rhian Batterham-Jones highlighted the significance of Jimmy's conviction.
“This conviction demonstrates that time is no barrier to justice,” Batterham-Jones said.
“Jimmy thought he had escaped accountability, but advances in forensic science and the determination of our team proved otherwise.”
She commended the victim’s courage and expressed hope that this case encourages more victims to report sexual offences, regardless of when they occurred.
“You will be believed and supported, and justice can be done,” Batterham-Jones said.
Bedfordshire Police continues to focus on tackling male violence against women and girls, working alongside other organisations to enhance women's safety in the county.
For information on reporting and support for sexual assault survivors, visit the Bedfordshire Police website.