Coventry monument artist Simon Evans whose police sketch helped convict rapist
Simon Evans, a former Coventry University art student, is best known for the Bucephalus horse sculpture that anchors Greyfriars Green. The piece has become a beloved fixture of the city’s landscape.
After graduating, Evans joined the Lancashire police and in 1991 was called upon to draw a suspect sketch for a brutal assault on an elderly woman. He spent hours with the traumatised victim, translating her recollection into a precise likeness.
The resulting portrait was instantly recognised by Detective John Wright, who identified the perpetrator, Brian Robin Dalby, when he appeared in custody. The sketch was repeatedly shown to the jury and proved decisive at a time when DNA testing was still emerging.
Dalby, a long‑time predator, received a substantial prison term, removing a dangerous figure from the community. Evans’ dual legacy endures: the enduring public artwork in Coventry and the quiet, life‑saving impact of his artistic eye on criminal investigations.