On 7 November 2021, the victim met up with the suspect after connecting through a dating app. They went to a property in Salford and after drinking alcohol together, the victim began to feel hazy and described herself as ‘feeling paralysed’ and ‘unable to move’. It was during this time she was raped by the suspect.

After she was able to move, she left the property via a taxi and subsequently reported the incident to the police. Cox was arrested on 14 November 2021 and bailed with stringent bail conditions not to contact the victims.

On 4 September 2024, a second victim met up with the suspect after again connecting through a dating app. They went to a property in Salford and during that time Cox has taken drugs. Cox then started to remove the victims clothing and blocked the door so she couldn’t leave. Following this he has raped her before she was able to leave the property and disclose this to a relative who subsequently called the police.

Cox was arrested on 8 September 2024, charged and remanded. He stood trial for both rapes in March 2025, however the trial resulted in a hung jury. Following this a new trial commenced in August 2026 and Cox was found guilty of two counts of rape and one of attempted rape after a jury took less than two hours to deliberate.

Following Cox’s guilty verdict, the two victims provided statements on how this had affected them.

The first victim noted: “The last five years have been extremely difficult. The impact of the offence did not end when it happened. I have had to live with the consequences every day since, while also having to go through a long and stressful court process.

“When the guilty verdict was finally reached, I felt relief that I had been believed and that there had finally been accountability. However, the verdict did not simply make everything go away. The emotional and physical effects are still there, and I still have to deal with them.

“The last five years have changed me in ways I never wanted or expected. I hope that now the court process has finally reached its conclusion, I can begin to heal, rebuild my confidence and trust, and move forward with my life.”

The second victim noted: “I have tried very hard not to let what happened destroy my life. However, the truth is that it changed me.”

“I do not know what the future holds for me, but I hope that with proper counselling and support, I can continue to rebuild my confidence and independence. I want to be able to go outside alone again. I want to feel safe again. I want to be able to trust people again. Most of all, I want my life to be mine again.”

Detective Sergeant James Walsh of GMP’s Salford Criminal Investigation Department said: “I would firstly like to commend the strength of the victims in this case. They have gone through this trial process twice now and each time have has shown incredible courage to ensure Cox was put behind bars. He preyed on these women and is an violent, sexual offender.

“I hope this sentence and the subsequent sexual harm prevention order imposed gives the victims a sense of justice to help them try to move forward from this and put Kenny Cox firmly in their past where he belongs.

“I would also like to note that our officers are here to listen to you and support you. If you have been a victim of sexual assault, no matter when it happened – please come forward. We will do all that we can to bring offenders to justice.”

Support Available

If you or someone you know has been a victim of rape or sexual assault, we encourage you not to suffer in silence and report it to the police by calling 101 or 999 in an emergency.

You can also report information and crimes on our website (www.gmp.police.uk).

Alternatively, you can report information anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

There are also lots of organisations and support agencies available across Greater Manchester and nationally that can help and provide support for you.

For more information and to find the support services available to you, please visit our support pages.

• Support for Rape and Sexual Assault:
• St. Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre – Manchester provides a comprehensive and co-ordinated response to men, women and children who live or have been sexually assaulted within Greater Manchester. They offer forensic medical examinations, practical and emotional support as well as a counselling service for all ages. Services are available on a 24-hour basis and can be accessed by calling 0161 276 6515.
• Trafford Rape Crisis and Manchester Rape Crisis are run by women for women who have experienced rape and sexual abuse. They are both confidential and can provide information, support and counselling service run by women for women over 18 who have been raped or sexually abused at any time in their lives.
• We Are Survivors Manchester – provides specialist trauma informed support to male victims in Greater Manchester who have experienced sexual abuse, rape, or sexual exploitation. Call 0161 236 2182.

Credit image Greater Manchester Police