A double rapist who went undetected for more than 20 years ago was finally caught when his son was given a police caution, a court heard.

David Phipps’ details were entered on the national database.

As investigators examined these samples, a DNA match emerged with two attacks, committed in 1986 and 1991.

But David Phipps was born in 1988, so suspicion fell on his father, Ian, (pictured left) who had no convictions or cautions.

Advances in technology showed that the probability of the DNA profile
originating from somebody not related to Phipps was around one in a billion.

Now Ian Phipps, a 50-year-old maintenance man has been jailed for 15 years for what a judge described as “wicked crimes”.

Phipps, of Hurricane Road, West Malling, at first denied raping a
schoolgirl in Halling and a young woman in Wrotham, but admitted his guilt
when faced with the overwhelming evidence.

Maidstone Crown Court heard both the 14-year-old girl and the woman, 23,
begged their attacker not to rape them and get them pregnant.

The 14-year-old was attacked in January 1986. She had been walking home from school along a secluded public footpath in Halling.

An investigation was launched and a medial appeal made on Crimewatch but a suspect was never identified.

In June 1991, a 23-year-old woman was attacked along a footpath in Cooper's Wood, Wrotham with Phipps continuously threatening to hit his victim if she screamed, before he fled.

In both attacks, Phipps was described as “chubby” and wearing army-style trousers. (older image of Ian Phipps pictured right)

Appeals for witnesses established a link between the attack and the 1986 rape.

Prosecutor Andrew Collings said no arrest was made at the time and both
cases were kept under review. In September last year a “benchmark” was
reached when a full match was made with Phipps’ only son.

Ian Phipps was investigated and it was discovered that he had strong links to
the area. He worked there and was in the Territorial Army and wore
camouflage trousers.

Samples were taken from him and he was interviewed. He denied the rapes and insisted his DNA profile would not match the samples taken from the victims.

When the “hit” was made, he claimed it must be “a dreadful mistake”. He
finally pleaded guilty on Friday.

The younger victim sat in the public gallery as Judge Charles Macdonald QC
told Phipps the case was an example of how advances in DNA evidence allowed prosecution of offenders who had escaped justice.

The judge said he had read moving impact statements from the victims, which
showed the “extraordinary damage” done to them.

"Is there any real remorse here?” he asked. “There were no guilty pleas
until he saw evidence that conviction was inevitable. I see no real
remorse.”

He told Phipps: “You subjected these complainants to horrific ordeals which
plainly changed their lives. These are wicked crimes.”

Phipps' name will appear on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.