Bendigo rapist Rodney Eric Hampton sentenced over ‘every parent’s worst nightmare’

A predator who stalked the streets of Bendigo in the 1980s has “finally been brought to justice” after he brutally raped two “defenceless” young women.

A Bendigo predator who stalked the streets of the Central Victorian town more than three decades ago and raped two young women has “finally” been brought to justice.

Rodney Eric Hampton, 58, was arrested at his Strathdale home in November last year after a DNA sample taken from him two years earlier was matched to the “horrific” random attacks.

The DNA had been taken after he was convicted of sexually assaulting a young girl while drunk.

Hampton was sentenced to 11 years jail in the County Court on Thursday after pleading guilty to two counts of rape that occurred within two months when he was a young father.

He has maintained he had no memory of the “abhorrent crimes”, which judge Mark Dean said he found “hard to believe”.

“I find that very hard to accept that the first time he becomes aware is when the police turn up,” he said.

“These are predatory crimes, grabbing people off the street. It’s every parent’s worst nightmare.”

The court heard he was out running just after midnight when he saw a 20-year-old woman walking home from a night out with friends in Bendigo’s CBD.

He ran up behind her, covered her mouth and dragged her over a wall into the front yard of a property, where he raped her.

Hampton then left her there crying hysterically and ran off.

Two months later he struck again, driving a green sedan when he spotted a 16-year-old girl walking home from her boyfriend’s house.

She had taken off her shoes and was limping because of a cut to her foot when he approached her offering her a lift home.

“You shouldn’t be out this late, anything could happen to you,” he said to the girl.

She accepted the lift after seeing a baby seat in the rear of his car, but instead of driving her the three minute journey to her home, he took her to an “isolated” bush track.

By then she was crying uncontrollably, believing she was going to be murdered.

He told her: “no to make things worse for herself”, before raping her in the car.

Hampton did not say a word to the terrified girl as he drove her back to near where her boyfriend lives, dumping her on the side of the road.

Bendigo rapist Rodney Eric Hampton was jailed for 11 years for the brutal rape of two young women in the 1980s.

Both victims provided impact statements, detailing the trauma and pain they had lived with for more than three decades.

“My whole life I’ve felt like I wasn’t worth anything, I don‘t know how to love, I don’t know how to have relationships … I locked myself away from the world,” one woman said.

“I didn’t think I was believed until the police contacted me last year.”

The other woman said no words could express how the rape had changed her life.

“I’ve struggled to live and now here you are and it feels like you raped me twice,” she said.

“I hope you get what you deserve for the horror, pain and trauma you inflicted on us.”

In sentencing Hampton, Mr Dean said he had preyed on defenceless young women with “brutal sexual violence” to satisfy his criminal urges.

“You have finally been brought to justice for this grave crime of sexual violence, yet that fact cannot undo the trauma caused to your young victims,” he said.

“Your repeated claim that you don’t remember reveals you lack insight into your offending. It cannot be said you are truly remorseful.

“The gravity of this abhorrent crime cannot be overstated. One hopes this will bring some small closure to both the victims.”

Hampton was sentenced to five years of imprisonment for the first rape and six years imprisonment for the second to be served cumulatively.

He will be eligible for parole in 2029 and was placed on the sex offender register for life.