In 2026, the Offender Database reported that Thomas Dodds, then 22, of Woodhorn Drive, Ashington, Northumberland, was sentenced to five years and three months in prison at Newcastle Crown Court. Dodds was convicted of a “vile” and “predatory” attempted rape that occurred in the early morning hours of August 16. The investigation by Northumbria Police revealed that Dodds stalked a woman from Westmorland Road in Newcastle before following her onto the High-Level Bridge, where he overpowered her in a vicious and violent attack.
The court heard horrendous details of the assault, during which the survivor managed to fight off her attacker by sticking her fingers down his throat. Thomas Dodds fled the scene back toward Newcastle city centre but was tracked down and arrested within days following an extensive CCTV investigation by the Gateshead CID. In a brave victim impact statement, the survivor described how her independence had been “completely ruined,” leaving her constantly anxious and fearful of being followed in public places in Gateshead and Newcastle.
Detective Constable Burns reported that the depraved act committed by Dodds represented “every woman’s deepest fear.” The judge emphasised that the serious nature of the stranger attack necessitated immediate custody and an extended licence period to ensure public safety. Despite the vile nature of the crime, the Northumbria Police praised the resilience of the victim in assisting the investigation and helping to bring this dangerous predator to justice.
As a result of his conviction for attempted rape, Thomas Dodds was sentenced to five years and three months behind bars, with a further two years on extended licence. He was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life and was made subject to a restraining order to protect the survivor. He is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by Northumbria Police, remaining under intensive supervision for the duration of his life. Any further predatory behaviour or breach of his orders in Gateshead, Newcastle, Ashington, or elsewhere will result in his immediate return to prison.
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