Brave Milton Keynes woman speaks out about being sexually assaulted by the man suspected of killing Leah Croucher

A brave woman has described her shock after learning the man who sexually assaulted her was the prime suspect in the Leah Croucher murder case.

She was the victim of a sickening assault in a Milton Keynes town back in 2018 – just a couple of months before Leah went missing.

Afterwards Maxwell, who had previously been jailed for raping a young woman, fled the scene in a car. Police launched a nationwide hunt for him but he evaded arrest 18 times over the following five months.

"He was always one step ahead and always obviously had a plan in mind… But the police did try really hard to arrest him for the crime he committed against me and they never stopped looking for him” his victim said.

It was not until last month, however, that she realised the shocking truth about Maxwell’s suspected involvement in the murder of 19-year-old Leah Croucher.

And, incredibly, the first she knew about it was when she saw 49-year-old Maxwell’s photograph on the news shortly after Leah’s body was found hidden in the attic of a house in Loxbeare Drive on Furzton.

Police promptly named him as prime suspect in the murder case – but revealed he had committed suicide in the April of 2019, two months after Leah vanished.

“It honestly makes me feel sick,” said the victim.

Fighting back the tears, she said: "So Neil Maxwell, at the time of Leah's disappearance, he wasn't actually in prison, he was on the run from the police and there was a warrant out for his arrest for sexually assaulting me.”

She added: “The police tried to arrest him numerous times... He travelled up to Scotland, here, there and everywhere to outrun the police and the properties he was related to and the people he was related to and knew were all questioned and all monitored/searched within reason to try and find him.

“The property that Leah was found in, he never lived in. He monitored the property and did maintenance work on it whilst the owners weren't in the country...

"And of course shortly after this all happened, Covid 19 happened so I'm assuming the owners never really came back to check on the house.”

The victim continued: “Neil basically killed himself after the public appeal went out for my case.

“Obviously at the time this happened, they weren't aware of whether Leah was just missing, as in run (away), or murdered. Obviously they might have had their suspicions but they didn't know for definite and obviously they didn't think that the two cases were related.

“He killed himself not long after, when the public appeal went out… He already had a history for crimes against young women.”

The victim has expressed her sympathy for Leah’s family and any other females who were victims of Maxwell.

"I know that I'm not the only one,” she said.

The victim said police did not inform her before they publicly named Maxwell as the suspected killer of Leah.

“They didn't tell me,” she said.

“I wouldn't have wanted them to waste the time to come see me face to face. However, a phone (call) might have been nice.

“I discovered it after seeing his face on the news.”

She added: “Knowing there are other victims out there, I really hope they aren't alone and have support around them… It's a worry to think there might be other victims out there, that haven't been discovered.”

Police are currently conducting house to house enquiries on Furzton to see if anyone knew Maxwell. Earlier this week they issued an appeal for anybody with information to either contact officers on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously, quoting ‘Operation Innsbruck’ or reference number 43220455669.

A property maintenance worker, Maxwell was employed by the overseas owner and the Loxbeare Drive house was one of a string of homes he looked after all over MK.