A DETECTIVE who never forgot a face has helped put a rapist behind bars 20 years after he attacked a teenager.

James Asuma struck on Halloween night in 1990 and thought he had escaped justice.

His victim, who was just 18 at the time and studying in Manchester, was too traumatised to tell police about the attack in Cheadle Hulme.

But in 2007 she reported the incident to the Metropolitan Police in London, where she was living, and officers from Stockport launched an investigation.

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A description of the rapist was sent out by Detective Inspector James Ellson to a number of officers who were working in the Cheadle Hulme area in the 1990s.

It included the fact the attacker was called 'Jimmy', had a substantial criminal record, and used a white car.

It was then a detective constable realised who was responsible.

The DC had first encountered Asuma in 1981 when he had boasted: “You'll get a promotion if you put me away.”

A decade later he visited Asuma's bedsit to quiz him over another inquiry – and noticed he had a white car.

The policeman – who cannot be named for operational reasons - contacted DI Ellson and Asuma was arrested.

When the victim was shown his picture, as he would have looked in 1990, she identified him as her attacker.

The DC said: “I was a young officer working in Moss Side in 1981 when I first met Asuma. He was on the street and I just started talking to him.

“He said to me: 'You will get a promotion if you put me away.'

Substantial criminal record

“I went back to my station and did an intelligence check on him and saw he had a substantial criminal record.

“Then I ran into him again in about 1990-92 when I was dealing with another offence. “Asuma had befriended a student and he wanted the woman to form a relationship with him but she didn't want to.

“He refused to let her out of a car and we were called out to deal with it. Asuma was later sentenced in connection with that incident.

“When DI Ellson sent out the message, as soon as I saw that the man was called 'Jimmy' and talked a lot about being in prison, I knew who that man was.

“Also there were the similarities between the circumstances of the rape and the incident I dealt with involving him and the student.”

Asuma has previously been convicted of rape in 1995 for which he was sentenced to five years and six months in jail.

Asuma, 57, from Leeds, pleaded guilty to raping the 18-year-old in 1990.

He was jailed for three years nine months at Minshull Street crown court, Manchester.

The pair had met in a pub in Fallowfield. Asuma drove her to his bedsit in Cheadle Hulme in his white car.

While in his room, Asuma raped her and, as she wept repeatedly, told her to 'shut up'.

He then drove her back to Fallowfield and threatened to hurt her if she told anyone what had happened.

DC Kat Moriarty, of the Stockport Rape Investigation Team, said: “I hope this case sends out a powerful message to rapists and sex offenders that no matter when they commit these awful crimes, and no matter how much times elapses, we will never stop pursuing them until they are behind bars.

“The victim was just 18 and spent years traumatised and too afraid to come forward.

“However she found the courage to do so and because she did Asuma is now behind bars.”

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