How a Birmingham woman helped put rapist Steven Walker in jail

A woman, who was raped by a man who approached her in a Birmingham pub, has shared her story. The woman had gone out with friends on a Saturday in November 2019 where Steven Walker allegedly approached her.

The next memory she has is waking up the next day in a strange apartment, with no clothes on, with Walker sexually assaulting her. West Midlands Police said she left Walker’s flat and called her friends who encouraged her to report what had happened. With their support, she made the brave decision to report it to the police and medical professionals.

Steven Walker, 43, was arrested days later at his flat in Quinton Lane, Birmingham, where he also admitted to having sex with the victim all night.

“Thanks to the bravery of the woman and the evidence that was collected, including the CCTV showing Walker leading the victim out of the pub, we were able to prove that she was raped and secure a conviction,” Wests Police said Midlands.

Steven Walker was jailed at Birmingham Crown Court on November 23, 2022 for nine years six months on three counts of rape, four years for being a dangerous offender and he will be on the sex offender register for life.

Investigator Detective Constable Maria Watts of West Midlands Police said: ‘I would like to thank the woman for coming forward and telling us what happened to her. With the support of her friends, she felt strong enough to come forward and through her actions, we were able to remove a sexual predator from the streets.

“The woman said she can now move on with her life knowing she helped prevent this from happening to someone else.

“We work hard at West Midlands Police to ensure women and girls can feel safe when they go out at night. This includes working with agencies to ensure people can return home safely or working with night venues, where staff are briefed on the signs to look out for.

“We will always believe the victims and tell anyone who has been victimized by this type of crime to have the courage to come forward. We will believe you, we will investigate your crime and we will work with you.

As Christmas approaches and more and more people go out and enjoy evenings with friends or at work, it is important to take care of each other. West Midlands Police have two websites which contains lots of information on how to stay safe at a party and how to report suspicious behavior.