Dylan Saunderson Convicted of Kettering Rape After Retrial

A 22-year-old man has been convicted of rape following a retrial at Northampton Crown Court. Dylan Saunderson was found guilty after a four-day hearing which concluded on March 27.

Saunderson first stood trial at the same court in August last year. He was charged with three counts of rape, one count of assault, and one count of administering a noxious substance.

At the end of that trial, Saunderson was found guilty of assault. He was found not guilty of two counts of rape and administering a noxious substance.

The jury could not agree on the third count of rape. The victim supported a retrial at Northampton Crown Court.

The retrial lasted four days and ended on March 27. The jury returned a guilty verdict in just two hours.

The incident happened on the morning of September 28, 2023. Saunderson attacked a woman inside a Kettering property and raped her.

Saunderson was sentenced on the same day he was found guilty. He received nine years in prison for the rape.

He was also sentenced to 18 months in prison for the assault, to run concurrently. A further six months in prison for a separate dangerous dog offence will run consecutively.

Saunderson will be on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life.

Judge's Comments

During sentencing, His Honour Judge Mayo told the court that “this was a prolonged attack which was aggravated by the assault.”

Police Statement

Lead investigator Detective Sergeant Chelsea Noble from the Force’s SOLAR Team said: “I’d like to commend the survivor in this case for the strength she has shown throughout this process. She has had to endure not one, but two trials, and the fact that she pushed for a retrial says everything about her absolute determination to get justice for what happened to her. “In her victim personal statement, she commented on how she felt her life was on hold due to what Saunderson did to her, so I hope the conclusion of this case allows her to move forward. She has a bright future ahead of her and we wish her nothing but the best. “Tackling violence against women and girls is a priority for Northamptonshire Police and I hope this case demonstrates how important victim care and getting justice is to us.”

This report and custody images have been released with the support of the survivor in this case. The survivor has a legal right to lifelong anonymity.

Support and Reporting

If you have been a victim of sexual abuse, whether recent or non-recent, please come forward by calling 101 or via the online reporting tool at http://www.northants.police.uk/RO.

Find advice and support, including steps you can take if you’re not yet ready to make a report to police, here: https://www.northants.police.uk/ro/report/rsa/alpha-v1/advice/rape-sexual-assault-and-other-sexual-offences/

You can also visit http://www.voicenorthants.org or call Voice on 0300 303 1965 for free, confidential support.

OFFICIAL SOURCE VERIFICATION: This article is based on an official press release issued by a Police Force. Document Retrial sees man convicted of Kettering rape Source Link: https://www.northants.police.uk/news/northants/news/in-court/2026/april/retrial-sees-man-convicted-of-kettering-rape/

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