Domonic Rowan, 58, who raped woman near Bury St Edmunds and evaded police by using multiple aliases is jailed

A man who raped a woman near Bury St Edmunds and evaded police by using multiple aliases has been jailed.

Domonic Rowan, 58, of no fixed address, was sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court today to 12 years in custody and a further six years on licence.

It follows a six day trial in March earlier this year where he was found guilty of rape by a jury.

The victim reported she had been raped in February 2017 while the two of them had been at her home.

At this time Rowan was operating under an alias of Aaron Royer.

Rowan evaded police by using multiple aliases before eventually being found in 2022 in Blackpool.

He is to serve at least two thirds of his jail terms before being eligible for parole.

DS Harger, from Safeguarding and Investigations based at Bury St Edmunds, said: “This result I hope will demonstrate our determination to secure convictions against offenders regardless of how long ago the offence took place.

“Rowan was determined to avoid capture by the police but this conviction makes very clear our commitment to prosecuting such offenders.

"I hope that it also encourages anyone else who is a victim of this type of offence to have the confidence to come forward.

“Any allegation will be fully investigated and we have dedicated specially trained officers who work with the victims of rape and sexual assault.

“I would also like to thank the victim for her courage, patience and quiet sense of dignity she has shown throughout the entire experience – it will have been a long and extremely challenging time for her so I hope this sentence will start to bring some closure for her, although what Rowan did will understandably never leave her.”