Rapist Who Tried To Beat Pensioner Victim To Death Hangs Himself Before Sentencing

A handyman, who changed a 70 year-old woman's lightbulb then returned to rape her and attempt to beat her to death, has killed himself in his prison cell six days before he was due to be sentenced.

Robert Richards, 22, broke into the pensioner's suburban Chessington home in the early hours and left her with ten broken ribs, a fractured cheekbone and jaw, broken hip and vertebrae and bleeding on the brain.

He was convicted at Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court of the rape, attempted rape and attempted murder of the brave woman on October 23, last year and was due to be sentenced last monday.

However, at 9am on July 29 Richards, of Pear Tree Close, Chessington, was found collapsed in his cell at Wandsworth Prison and rushed to St. George's Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 9.50pm.

The court heard he complained of bullying in a suicide note and had been prescribed anti-depressants.

Ironically his cell mate killed himself last March.

A post-mortem was carried out on Richards and an inquest will be heard at a later date. No indication has been given as to the cause of death.

Prosecutor Mr. Jonathan Loades told the court today: “It indicated that he had been bullied during the time that he was in prison.”

Judge Nicholas Price QC formally closed the case and said: “In my experience, both at the Bar and on the Bench I have never had to deal with a case of such gravity, with a victim of that age and in such frail health.

“She has to be commended for her courage in giving evidence in the way she did before the jury.”

Between 5:30am and 6:30am the women was woken by Richards, who put his hand across her mouth and threatened to kill her if she screamed.



He then raped and beat her severely and she suffered a cardiac arrest whilst being treated in hospital.



Following the attack Richards left the property via a back door and the victim was able to alert her neighbours by banging on an internal wall. 



Police enquiries quickly led to Richards being identified as a person of interest and he was arrested locally the same day.




When he was brought in to custody he was wearing two pairs of tracksuit bottoms.

His clothing was seized and officers found the first pair of bottoms were covered in blood.

Forensic analysis identified the blood as the victim's.



Richards lied that he found the bloodied tracksuit bottoms in the street and his DNA was also found under the fingernails of the women.



He tried to create an alibi when he bought tea bags at a local shop, knowing he would be captured on the store's CCTV.

Detective Inspector Nicky Arrowsmith said: “I would like to pay tribute to the spirit and courage displayed by the victim, who gave evidence during the trial.”