Taxi Driver Online

Man faces 'very substantial' sentence after admitting raping girl in 1978



THIS is the former taxi driver who has been warned he faces a "very substantial" jail sentence after admitting raping a teenage girl in Cleethorpes nearly 33 years ago.

Michael Tomlinson, 54, has pleaded guilty to raping the terrified 17-year-old in a field off Buck Beck Road, near the Wellow Hotel, as she walked home from The Flamingo nightclub at about 11.30pm on August 3, 1978. Tomlinson, who was 21 at the time, is said to have held a coat over the girl's head and raped her while she pleaded for her life.

As reported then, the incident attracted major publicity at the time, with appeals for information featuring on the front page of the Grimsby Telegraph six times – but nobody was ever brought to justice. Tomlinson, whose address cannot be given for legal reasons, was finally arrested for the offence last week as a result of Humberside Police's Operation Fox – an ongoing review of historical sex cases.

Richard Butters, mitigating at Grimsby Crown Court yesterday, said: "The defendant was arrested and immediately admitted his guilt. He said he has been living with this for the last 33 years and said he wanted to give a full and frank interview." Mr Butters said that Tomlinson has led an otherwise "blame-free" life.

The court heard how Tomlinson had worked as a taxi driver for 25 years but had his licence revoked last week when the allegations came to light. Recorder Tahir Khan told Tomlinson: "You will receive, without a shadow of doubt, a very substantial period of imprisonment for the very grave offence which you committed a number of years ago."

Tomlinson, who arrived at court with a bag of belongings and did not expect to have his bail extended, was remanded in custody. He will face sentence, finally bringing the case to a conclusion after more than three decades, on Friday, June 17.

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IDFIMH

Is'nt progress in DNA and forensic science a wonderful thing.

I wonder how many sex attackers are sat at home every time a story like this breaks, wondering whether it'll be their door is coming in next at 4am?

I bet their backsides are opening like a whales mouth at the thought of that knock on the door.

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Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.

Believe me, don't get Mercury X2

Thats IF the police have or can be bothered to put resources into cold cases which I am led to believe is not too common

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

I think many forces do, but not all.

However I know that some police officers, to their credit, have a big pile of unsolved cases next to their desks that they keep an eye on in their own time.

One senior Sussex officer is well known for it.

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IDFIMH