Sex attack victim told convicted killer and rapist ‘not flagged’ on Met Police system

  • Watch ITV News reporter Rob Murphy's latest report on Ronald Evans above

How could the Metropolitan Police Service fail to find Britain's longest-serving prisoner on their computer systems?

That is the question his latest victim is asking after she filed a formal complaint against the force.

Tabitha* - not her real name - told ITV News she first met 81-year-old Ronald Evans at a community centre in North London, a neighbourhood she has lived in for nearly 30 years.

Evans groomed her, got her alone and sexually assaulted her in his flat.

When she complained to police, they looked for him but told her they could not find him on their computer systems.

Yet days later, when watching ITV News while eating her dinner, Tabitha saw Decoy - a film about how a groundbreaking covert operation caught Evans back in 1979. She told police about this and they arrested Evans the following day.

ITV News's film about the covert team who caught Evans in 1979

Describing the moment she saw ITV News's documentary Decoy, Tabitha said: "I thought 'Oh, my God, It's him'. I phoned the police straight away. I said to them, 'the man I reported for sexually assaulting me - he's in my living room right now on my TV screen, on ITV News'.

"The operator sounded shocked."

The following day, Metropolitan Police officers arrested Evans.

Tabitha has now filed a complaint against the Met.

"If it wasn't for the documentary or the news story about it, and if I hadn't watched it, I don't think the police would have bothered," she said.

"I want to know how they couldn't find him on their system, with all this modern technology."

The Met Police told ITV News: "Initial investigating officers had planned to conduct a voluntary interview with Evans after he was identified as a potential suspect. During these initial enquiries his name was checked on the PNC database, however no previous convictions were flagged.

"He was subsequently arrested a week later after his previous convictions became known, following the publication of a television programme."

Ronald Evans's long history of violent crime began in November 1963 when he murdered Kathleen Heathcote, a 21-year-old shop worker.

She had been walking to her home in Mansfield, Notts, after spending the evening at her boyfriend's home.

Kathleen Heathcote was 21 when she was murdered by Evans

Evans approached her in his car and then attacked her. She died of asphyxiation.

Evans hid Kathleen's remains in his car before driving his wife and mother-in-law to bingo and then dumping her body in Ladybower Reservoir, Derbyshire.

Royal Navy divers found her in early December 1964. Evans was jailed for life for her murder in 1964.

Divers looking for Kathleen Heathcote. Her body was found submerged in the depths of a reservoir.

But Evans was released by the Parole Board in 1974 and he relocated in Bristol.

There, he remarried and started a double-life - an electrician and family man by day, but at night he was The Clifton Rapist.

Evans assaulted seven women over an 18-month period from July 1977.

He leapt from the shadows and threatened to kill each of his victims before demanding they perform sexual acts on him.

Despite a large police investigation, detectives were unable to discover who the Clifton Rapist was.

Photofits of images provided by Evans's victims

Desperate, Avon and Somerset Police launched a daring, groundbreaking covert initiative called Operation Argus in January 1979.

It involved a team of the youngest female recruits to the force acting as decoys in an attempt to ensnare him.

In the early hours of 23 March 1979, PC Michelle Tighe was on the final walk of the operation when a man matching Evans's description was spotted following her.

Watch teams checked his car licence plate on a computer - and they realised the 23-year-old officer was being followed by a convicted killer.

Michelle Tighe as a decoy operative. She was 23 years old when she caught Evans.

Michelle had a choice to make: should she stay on the main road and put her own safety first? Or should she follow the plan and try to catch this predator who she had just discovered was a murderer released on life licence?

Michelle turned down the side-street and Evans attacked her. He was caught by observation officers.

Evans jailed and remained behind bars until 2019, when he was released into Tabitha's North London neighbourhood.

"I know I've met some monsters in my lifetime," said Tabitha. "I've never met a man which probably doesn't even understand what the word remorse means. He's got not one grain of remorse in him."

Operation Argus operatives. Each was given a Chief Constable's Commendation.

Tabitha was critical of the Parole Board which released Evans in 2019.

She said: "I've got the image of people on Parole Boards living in lovely suburban English homes and their kids go to lovely private schools. It's all safe there. When you release predators like Evans, why don't you release them into your own communities? Why here?"

A Parole Board spokesperson told ITV News: “Every serious further offence is a tragedy in which victims and their families’ lives are affected forever. Whilst these represent a tiny proportion of cases considered, one case is one tragedy too many and we take these extremely seriously. Where this happens, the Parole Board is committed to doing everything it can to learn the lessons that will help to prevent further tragedies."

The Parole Board confirmed the next stage of Evans's bid for a further parole hearing will be in October.

When Evans was jailed in November for his assault on Tabitha, Judge Francis told Evans: "The sheer length of time you remained in custody speaks volumes as to the Parole Board's view of the risk you posed.

"It is apparent from your actions towards (Tabitha) that time has done nothing to change the fact you are a sexual predator. You sought out a new victim that was vulnerable who you knew you could manipulate.

"The risk you pose to women is significant. The combination of your history and continuing sexual interest underlies my concern you are a risk of serious sexual harm to women."

Evans after his March 1979 arrest.

Timeline shows Ronald Evans' life of crime

  • December 1940: Born.

  • November 1963: Murders Kathleen Heathcote.

  • March 1964: Jailed for life at Nottingham Assizes.

  • 1974: Released from an open prison in Bristol.

  • July 1977: He carried out the first of his sex attacks as The Clifton rapist.

  • December 1978: The last of his attacks. He has sexually assaulted seven women in total.

  • March 1979: He was caught by Operation Argus PC Michelle Tighe.

  • July 1979: Jailed for five of the seven attacks.

  • May 2005: As he was about to be released. Cold case teams reinvestigated his two unsolved cases from the 1970s. Evans was returned to jail.

  • 2019: Evans was released

  • 15 July 2022: Evans assaults Tabitha*.

  • 4 August 2022: Tabitha* reports Evans to Met Police. Officers can't find him on the computer.

  • 10 August 2022: ITV's Decoy film released - Tabitha* sees this and reports Evans again

  • November 2023: Evans was convicted of Tabitha's* sexual assault

Watch the full documentary Decoy: The Covert Trap to Catch a Killer on ITVX and YouTube.