Thomas Dodds

On the early morning of 16 August 2025, Thomas Dodds, a 22-year-old man from Ashington, targeted a woman as she walked home across the High-Level Bridge over the River Tyne in Gateshead. Dodds had followed her from Westmorland Road in Newcastle onto the bridge, where he approached her from behind and overpowered her to the ground. He then attempted to rape her, but the victim bravely fought back by sticking her fingers down his throat, pushing him away and causing him to flee towards the city centre.

The woman promptly reported the assault to Northumbria Police, prompting an immediate investigation by officers from Gateshead's Criminal Investigation Department. Through extensive CCTV enquiries in both Gateshead and Newcastle, along with several lines of inquiry, Dodds was tracked down and arrested within days of the report. He appeared at Newcastle Crown Court in September 2025, where he pleaded guilty to attempted rape and was remanded in custody.

On 12 January 2026, Dodds returned to Newcastle Crown Court for sentencing. He was jailed for 5 years and 3 months, ordered to serve two years on extended licence, and placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life. Additionally, a restraining order was imposed to protect the victim. In a Victim Personal Statement read to the court, the victim described the profound impact of the attack: 'I have struggled to process my emotions following what happened on the day. I was shocked, upset and emotionally unstable, but also angry and confused, questioning ‘why me?’. It is something that I never thought would happen to me and I wonder what could have happened to me, or where I would be now, if I hadn’t managed to fight off the stranger who attacked me.' She further detailed the ongoing anxiety, loss of independence, and financial repercussions, noting her fear of being alone in the dark and inability to attend events solo.

Detective Constable Burns, who led the investigation for Northumbria Police, commended the victim's resilience: 'The act committed by Thomas Dodds that night, I believe, is every woman's deepest fear. I’d like to thank everyone involved in this case—most importantly the victim – who has shown great resilience and bravery in revisiting the events of that night throughout this ordeal.' The detective emphasised the rarity of such stranger offences in the region and the force's commitment to delivering justice.