A MAN has been jailed for 13 years after he attempted to rape a 74-year-old woman more than 30 years ago, when he was just 22.
Aron Traynor, now aged 56, attacked the victim, who has since died, when she was walking home.
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Aron Traynor was arrested by cold case officers from Greater Manchester Police Credit: Greater Manchester Police
Traynor has been jailed for 13 years for attempted rape Credit: Greater Manchester Police
No suspect was identified in the horror case until Traynor was arrested for drunk driving 31 years later.
He gave a DNA sample which matched evidence gathered at the time of the 1992 attack.
The Cold Case Unit had commissioned further analysis on the sample in 2005 which had produced a near-complete DNA profile.
Traynor was arrested a few months later after a renewed cold case investigation and he stood trial in March this year.
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Traynor was arrested after his DNA sample matched evidence from the 1992 case Credit: Greater Manchester Police
He was convicted after a five day jury trial Credit: Greater Manchester Police
The jury found him guilty of attempted rape and indecent assault after a five-day trial.
Traynor, of London Road, Stockport, was sentenced on Friday at Minshull Street Crown Court.
A statement from the victim’s son was read aloud which described the devastating and lasting impact the attack had on his mother.
It affected her confidence, independence and wellbeing, he said.
The assault changed her life and the whole family, he added.
Det Ch Insp Cheryl Hughes said: “Time is quite simply no barrier to justice.
“Offenders should be in no doubt that forensic science continues to advance, and every interaction they have with the criminal justice system increases the chance of their crimes being uncovered.”
She thanked the woman’s relatives for their cooperation, adding: “Although the victim sadly has not lived to see justice served,
“I hope this sentence gives her family a sense of peace that the offender has been held accountable.”
A spokesperson for the Greater Manchester Police said: “The conviction follows a renewed cold case investigation and advances in forensic science that allowed evidence from 1992 to be re‑examined.
They added: “The case remained under active review. In 2005, the Cold Case Unit commissioned further forensic analysis,
“producing a near‑complete DNA profile that was added to the National DNA Database, but no match was found at that time.
A breakthrough came when a DNA sample taken from Traynor following an unrelated arrest for drink-driving in August 2023 matched the profile developed by the Cold Case Unit, finally bringing long‑awaited justice for the victim’s family.”
The force said: “GMP remains committed to tackling violence against women and girls and ensuring perpetrators are brought to justice — no matter how much time has passed.”
