A MAN wrongly convicted of attempted rape said he would never forget the 17 years he spent behind bars.
Victor Nealon, who lived in Redditch, was given a life sentence for sexually assaulting a 22-year-old woman on her way home from a nightclub in the borough in 1996.
He was found guilty by jury in January 1997 at Hereford Crown Court and despite maintaining his innocence throughout the years his appeal was rejected in 1998.
The postman had also offered a DNA sample at the time of the attack but no trace was found on the victim’s clothing.
The 54-year-old was finally acquitted of the crime in December last year after it was revealed to a Court of Appeal another man’s DNA were discovered on her clothes.
Following his release a review was immediately launched by West Mercia Police and as the Standard reported last week a re-investigation is now underway.
But although Mr Nealon welcomed the move, he said the trauma he had suffered would never escape his mind.
“I’ve called for it for so long, so I’m delighted they have re-opened it and that something is finally being done.
“I am happy for myself and for the victim if she is, although I would think it’s going to be difficult for her to have everything dragged back up again.
“For me, regardless if they find someone or not, it will never go out of my head.
“I’ve tried to get over this hurdle of 17 years of my life.
“I have no work record for the past 18 years, and I can’t get a decent job. I can’t cry about it because at least now I have my freedom.
“But the trauma in those years, you can’t forget it. That is the penalty I will have for the rest of my life.”
