An 82-year-old rapist with dementia has avoided a jail sentence for an
attack he committed in 1993 because of his diminished mental state.

Verley Gordon was found unfit to enter a plea over the assault on a
66-year-old woman in Brixton, south London.

Instead, jurors at London's Southwark Crown Court were asked to determine
whether or not Gordon "did the act".

The jury found him responsible and Judge John Price said he would consider a
psychiatric supervision order.

Derelict house

"In normal circumstances he would have been put away for a very long time
but with his dementia it would be pointless to lock him up," the judge told
the jury.

Gordon now lives in a south-west London care home.

Although a DNA sample was retrieved by police at the time of the rape, a
match with Gordon was only found two years ago when he was cautioned for
attacking a fellow care home resident.

The rape happened on 26 June 1993 after Gordon, who was 67 at the time,
approached his victim at bus stop and asked her to "go for a walk".

He attacked her in the grounds of a derelict house.

The case has been adjourned until 26 January while psychiatric reports are
prepared.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/h...on/7752919.stm

Published: 2008/11/27 15:23:55 GMT

© BBC MMVIII

"Airmax" wrote in message
...
An 82-year-old rapist with dementia has avoided a jail sentence for an
attack he committed in 1993 because of his diminished mental state.

Verley Gordon was found unfit to enter a plea over the assault on a
66-year-old woman in Brixton, south London.

Instead, jurors at London's Southwark Crown Court were asked to determine
whether or not Gordon "did the act".

The jury found him responsible and Judge John Price said he would consider
a psychiatric supervision order.

Derelict house

"In normal circumstances he would have been put away for a very long time
but with his dementia it would be pointless to lock him up," the judge
told the jury.

Gordon now lives in a south-west London care home.

Although a DNA sample was retrieved by police at the time of the rape, a
match with Gordon was only found two years ago when he was cautioned for
attacking a fellow care home resident.

The rape happened on 26 June 1993 after Gordon, who was 67 at the time,
approached his victim at bus stop and asked her to "go for a walk".

He attacked her in the grounds of a derelict house.

The case has been adjourned until 26 January while psychiatric reports are
prepared.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/h...on/7752919.stm

Published: 2008/11/27 15:23:55 GMT

© BBC MMVIII


How did he accept a caution in his mental state ?