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The Batman rapist is an unidentified serial sex offender who committed at least seventeen on women in the city of Bath, Somerset, between 1991 and 2000. He is the subject of Britain's longest–running serial rape investigation, codenamed Operation Eagle; he has now eluded capture for more than 30 years. Inspector Paul James of Avon and Somerset Constabulary, leading the operation, said it is "one of the most complicated and protracted investigations" that the force has ever undertaken. In January 2001, the Forensic Science Service used the Low Copy Number (LCN) DNA profiling technique to isolate the rapist's DNA "fingerprint". They then began the process of taking swabs for comparison from all the men, believed to be around 2,000 individuals, whose names had come up during the course of the investigation.
The perpetrator was nicknamed after leaving a baseball cap bearing a logo from the Batman film series at the scene of one attack. Archived periodical at TheFreeLibrary.com Police believe that there are more victims who have never come forward. The independent crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers UK have offered a £10,000 reward for information leading to his capture. The perpetrator has also been referred to in the news media as the "Riddler". The case was highlighted on the BBC's Crimewatch on 25 January 2000, including an appeal from Avon and Somerset Constabulary for information from the public. As a result of the appeal, six previously unknown victims came forward. Callers also gave the names of four potential suspects, including the son of a British diplomat, and "dozens of calls were received from prostitutes and partners of people with similar sexual habits".
The attacker targeted lone women who had just returned to their cars, abducting them at knifepoint before forcing them to drive to secluded areas in the south of the city where he then assaulted them. He removed their underwear and ripped their Pantyhose during the rapes, but then made them put them back on after the rape is over. After raping his victim, he often forced them to drive back to the area where he abducted them.
Victims described their attacker as wearing black clothing and a baseball cap. He was slim, clean shaven and was about tall with blue eyes. He had a scar below his bottom lip. In October 2000, to coincide with the end of British Summer Time, Avon and Somerset Constabulary delivered leaflets to 25,000 homes in Bath—the biggest leaflet drop in the history of British criminal investigation—asking women to complete a checklist about friends, acquaintances, neighbours or relatives who might fit the profile of:
The rapist had long periods of apparent inactivity, including a three-year gap between October 1991 and November 1994, followed by a further two years of apparent inactivity until June 1996. Police suspect that there were other attacks during these lulls in activity, although a spokesman has said; "Another possibility to explain the long gaps is that this is a man who comes to the area infrequently, possibly for work reasons." His attacks may also have taken place while the rapist is between relationships. The rapist's attacks were usually between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., "possibly on the way home from work", or between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m., and he may have had convictions for car-related crimes "because of the ease with which he breaks into vehicles."
UK cold cases where the offender's DNA is known:
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