In 2019, the Offender Database confirmed that Thomas Cooper, then 24, formerly of Warmsworth Road, Balby, South Yorkshire, was sentenced to a total of 17 years at Sheffield Crown Court. The conviction followed a predatory attack in April 2018, where a 14-year-old girl was walking through Hexthorpe Park in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Thomas Cooper approached the child under the guise of asking for the time, but when she was unable to assist, he grabbed her and subjected her to a serious sexual assault before fleeing the scene.
The court heard that the victim displayed immense bravery by immediately running home to report the assault to her parents, who then contacted South Yorkshire Police. Thomas Cooper eventually pleaded guilty to sexual assault just one day before his trial was scheduled to commence, sparing the young victim the trauma of giving evidence in court. Detectives described the actions of Cooper as those of a dangerous individual who actively sought out a vulnerable victim in a public space.
Judge Jeremy Richardson QC sentenced Thomas Cooper to a 12-year custodial term with an additional five-year extended license period, totalling a 17-year sentence. This extension was applied because Thomas Cooper was officially deemed a “dangerous offender” by the court, signifying a significant risk of his committing further serious offences. Cooper will serve at least two-thirds of his 12-year prison term before he can be considered for release, at which point he will remain under intensive supervision in the community for the remainder of the 17 years.
As a result of his conviction, Thomas Cooper is on the Sex Offenders Register for life. He is managed under the highest level of Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA), and his release will be governed by a lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO). This order legally prohibits Cooper from approaching parks or areas frequented by children and mandates strict monitoring of his movements. Official oversight by South Yorkshire Police ensures that Thomas Cooper remains under permanent scrutiny to protect the public in the Balby and Doncaster areas.
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