Double rapist jailed after victim, 16, gave his name before her body was found in a river

A double rapist has been jailed for 14-years after one of his victims gave the police a detailed account of her attack weeks before her death. Leah Bedford, 16, accused Kristian John Franks, 35, of raping her just two weeks before her body was recovered from the River Ouse in York on September 28, 2023.

The 16-year-old was last seen eight days before at the edge of the river. Shortly before her death, Leah gave a detailed account of the attack by Franks to the North Yorkshire Police.

However, officers had to drop the charges against him as Leah died before her cross-examination, and it was ruled the rapist could not receive a fair trial. But, after the teenager gave her assault account, the force contacted another woman who lodged a similar complaint against the same attacker in 2017 - she initially dropped the complaint after receiving threats from him.

After the police reached out, the woman agreed to go through with the case and Franks was finally put on trial at York Crown Court. He refused to face Leah's family in court who branded him "a coward" for appearing via zoom from prison.

A three day inquest will also be conducted in December to establish how Leah died. The rapist, who reportedly smirked through the sentencing on Thursday, showed no remorse for the rape of either victim.

"Both my daughter and the other girl showed great courage to come forward," Leah's father Paul Bedford, 55, said. "Franks has shown nothing but cowardice, making threats to both his victims, and refusing to leave jail to face us in court."

The court heard that Franks trailed both victims in his white van before convincing them to get inside.

A victim statement from the first person Franks raped, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was read by prosecutor Joe Culley: "This attack irrevocably changed the course of my life. Since that day I've been forced to rebuild my life from the ground piece by piece."

She added: "I will never be the same. The nightmares still plague me. I spent weeks unable to function.

"Fear dictates my every move. Darkness has become my enemy.

"Seeing white vans, a mundane detail for most, can send me spiraling into a full-blown panic attack. Hearing his name is enough to make my skin crawl."

Franks was found guilty of the 2017 rape and was sentenced to an extended prison term of 14 years and nine months, of which he must serve eight years and nine months. He was placed on a sexual harm prevention order for 20 years.