Soldier who committed two brutal assaults caught hiding in a toilet after being labeled as ‘evil’ rapist

This is the moment an ‘evil’ rapist was caught hiding in a railway toilet after raping a woman in a doorway in the early hours of the morning. 

Private John Harvey, 25, targeted a woman, who was not known to him, before dragging her away from a street in Shrewsbury, Shropshire. 

In a brutal attack that lasted 20 minutes, the victim, whose identity remains protected, was raped twice in the historic Mardol district of the market town on July 6 of the previous year.

A disturbing video, which was released by West Mercia Police following the incident, captures officers instructing the disgraced soldier to open a cubicle door after the sexual assault took place.

Subsequently, law enforcement officials apprehended him at the Shrewsbury railway station, where they were compelled to force open the door, as he audaciously inquired if he could use the restroom before complying with their demands.

During a nine-day trial, where he was sentenced to nine years behind bars, it was heard Harvey, who missed his last train, went back towards the woman after the assaults.

However, the court was told he was ‘put off’ as she was on the phone to police, so he went to the station, where he hid in a cubicle toilet.

Of the 999 call from the ‘vulnerable’ woman, Judge Richard McConaghy said: ‘She walked away and rang 999, audio of that call in the state that she was in is harrowing to listen to.’

Private John Harvey, 25, (pictured) was caught by police hiding in Shrewsbury train station toilets after brutally raping a woman, who was not known to him, twice

He initially confessed to the assaults, committed on July 6 of last year, but later pleaded not guilty forcing the victim to ‘relive the worst moment’ of her life

Following his arrest, Harvey made a full confession to police after accosting and attacking the young woman as she walked through Shrewsbury town centre.

But he then pleaded not guilty and forced the victim to ‘relive the worst moment of my life’ by giving evidence at a nine-day trial.

Harvey, of Clive Barracks in Tern Hill was found guilty of two counts of rape and one of assault by penetration in February.

The 25-year-old appeared relaxed in a video-link from HMP Hewell at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on Thursday, as the judge said the offence was aggravated by the fact he was drunk and the ‘vulnerable’ woman was walking alone at night.

Harvey, who was also ordered to serve an extended three-year period on licence after his eventual release, was described by the judge to be an ‘educated man with a degree’ and to have had a ‘respectable career’ at the time of the attack.

In a victim impact statement to the court read by counsel, the woman said her 20-minute ordeal had left her with post-traumatic disorder.

The woman said: ‘My home has become the only place I feel calm. The offender has convinced me terrible people who can do terrible things are everywhere. 

‘I was forced to endure rape. The offender also forced me to fight my corner in a trial. I was forced by him to relive the worst moment of my life repeatedly.

‘This event from the beginning to the end is the worst and hardest thing I have ever had to endure.’

A shocking clip, released by the police force, shows officers having to force open the door to arrest the disgraced soldier

He was then arrested by officers, who forced open the door, at the Shrewsbury before brazenly asking if he could go to the bathroom first

Private John Harvey has since been sentenced to nine years behind bars after being found guilty of two counts of rape and one of assault by penetration in February

Sentencing Harvey, the judge said: ‘You co-operated on arrest and made full admissions to having raped her.

‘You however chose to throw that mitigation away by contesting the trial in the face of very strong evidence and made her give evidence despite your own confession of what you had done.’

Following the sentencing, Detective Constable Sam Jones said: ‘I am extremely pleased with the sentence that has been given to Harvey by the judge today, as he is a danger to the wider public, in particular, women.

‘In July last year Harvey committed a purely evil crime, and despite admitting to the offences during a police interview when he was arrested, he then changed his story at court, subjecting his victim and her loved ones to sit through a trial and relive that awful night.

‘I would like to take this opportunity to thank the victim for her bravery and resilience throughout the entire investigation and trial.’

No details of Harvey’s military service or his employment by the Army were disclosed at his sentencing hearing.

Clive Barracks is the long-term home of the 1st Battalion of the Royal Irish Regiment.

In a statement which did not confirm details of Harvey’s unit, an Army spokesperson said: ‘We can confirm that Private John Harvey appeared for sentencing at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on June 5 2025, convicted of a sexual offence.

‘He was sentenced to nine years imprisonment.’