Andrew Malkinson, who was wrongly imprisoned for 17 years in one of the most serious miscarriages of justice in the UK, has described the 24-year sentence handed to the man convicted of the 2003 rape for which he was originally jailed as an “insult”.

Paul Quinn, aged 52, was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court for the violent attack on a woman in the Little Hulton area of Salford, which took place in July 2003.

The court heard that Quinn dragged the victim from the street, brutally assaulted her, including biting her and fracturing her cheekbone, before strangling and raping her.DNA evidence later linked Quinn to the crime, and jurors also heard that he had searched online about police retention of DNA samples.

Quinn, who was also convicted of strangulation and causing grievous bodily harm, received a 24-year sentence, including an extended licence period, and could be eligible for parole after around 14 years.

Following the sentencing, Malkinson expressed anger that Quinn received what he viewed as a lighter sentence than his own life imprisonment, during which he served over 17 years before his conviction was quashed by the Court of Appeal in 2023.He stated that Quinn had “let him suffer” years of wrongful imprisonment and public stigma while remaining free.

The victim, described in court as a “hero” by the judge, provided an emotional impact statement, explaining that the attack had permanently changed her life and left lasting physical and psychological scars.She emphasised that while justice had now been achieved, the trauma remains.The sentencing judge praised the victim’s strength and condemned Quinn for exploiting his freedom at the expense of an innocent man.

Greater Manchester Police confirmed that inquiries into potential further offences and into the handling of Malkinson’s wrongful conviction are ongoing, including investigations by the Independent Office for Police Conduct.A wider public inquiry is also underway into the failures that allowed Malkinson to remain in prison for so long.