Alleged Rapist's Online Searches Revealed in Malkinson Miscarriage of Justice Case
A man accused of a rape that led to a wrongful conviction carried out a significant increase in online searches about the case when police began investigating a new suspect, a court has been told. Paul Quinn, 51, is facing charges related to a violent attack in 2003 that resulted in Andrew Malkinson spending 17 years in prison for a crime he did not commit.
Details of the Alleged Attack and Wrongful Conviction
Quinn is accused of raping and brutally assaulting a woman in 2003, an incident that ultimately caused one of Britain's most severe miscarriages of justice. Andrew Malkinson, now 60, was wrongfully convicted and imprisoned for nearly two decades before his conviction was overturned in 2023. Quinn was arrested in December 2022 after new DNA tests linked his saliva to clothing from the crime scene, specifically from a bite that partially severed the victim's nipple.
He denies two counts of rape, one count of attempted strangulation, and one count of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. The trial is currently underway at Manchester Crown Court, where jurors are hearing evidence about Quinn's online activities.
Extensive Online Research Before Publicity
Prosecutor John Price KC informed the jury that Quinn, who typically showed little interest in news websites, began researching the Malkinson case extensively before it gained widespread media attention. In September 2019, Quinn looked up a story from the original 2004 trial and minutes later searched for "wrongly convicted cases uk." Two months later, he accessed an article about Malkinson on a website called the Justice Gap.
Price noted that this research occurred 15 years after the attack and three years before Quinn became aware of the evidence implicating him. Additionally, Quinn searched YouTube for "police searching you" and used Google Maps in October 2021 to examine the crime scene near his former residence in Exeter.
Surge in Online Activity After New Suspect Revelation
The case gained renewed prominence in July 2022 when the Guardian reported that a new suspect had been identified through fresh DNA analysis. From this point, Quinn's internet habits changed dramatically, with an "exponential rise" in his consumption of online news. He visited the Manchester Evening News 249 times over the next three months and conducted over 200 additional news searches.
Quinn also searched for information on how long DNA is retained in databases—he had provided a DNA sample to police in 2012—and queried symptoms like excessive sweating. These searches took place before his arrest on December 13, 2022, when he was informed that his DNA had been found on the victim's clothing.
Prosecution's Arguments and Quinn's Defence
Price suggested that Quinn might claim his online research reflected a natural curiosity about a high-profile local event. However, the prosecutor pointed out that Quinn did not mention this recent interest to police after his arrest, instead stating he had only briefly read about the case in 2003 and then forgotten it.
Jurors were told that these internet searches were discovered in Quinn's online history but not on the iPhone seized during his arrest. In police interviews, Quinn repeatedly denied the rape allegations, arguing that his DNA could have been present due to his history of unprotected sexual encounters with numerous women in the area.
Price questioned whether Quinn had anticipated police involvement based on his searches and if he had prepared his defence in advance. The trial continues as more evidence is presented.
Background on Andrew Malkinson's Case
Andrew Malkinson's wrongful conviction was referred to the Court of Appeal three times over 17 years before being overturned in July 2023. He was released from prison in late 2020, highlighting the prolonged struggle for justice in this miscarriage of justice case.
