Sexual assaulter shaved off his beard in attempt to hide DNA

A sexual assaulter who shaved off his beard in an attempt to hide his DNA has been jailed for five years.

Jeremy Evans, 52, assaulted a woman in March 2021 after making sexually inappropriate comments towards her.

The judge remarked this behaviour was in effect his attempt to groom her.

Evans then proceeded to wait for her to be alone, intoxicated and in a vulnerable state before he sexually assaulted her.

The victim reported the incident to police the following day and Evans was arrested.

Forensic evidence

Detective Constable Joanne Holden said: “Our investigation showed Evans had made attempts to conceal forensic evidence by shaving off his facial hair the very next day and washing his clothing which was all out of character.

“It was forensic evidence linking Evans to the victims underwear which strongly contributed to his conviction.

“I thank the victim for her bravery in reporting the assault and for her support with this investigation.

“If anyone has been a victim of sexual abuse, we urge you to report it to your local police force via 101.

“We will always follow up allegations of abuse, no matter when they occurred. Victims can talk in confidence to experienced investigators, and we can also help them get access to a range of other support services.”