A serial rapist who targeted a number of sex workers in Manchester city centre subjecting to them to violent sexual assaults was handed a hospital order with restrictions on Friday.
Thomas Hall, 34, of Mount Pleasant Street, Audenshaw, pleaded guilty to four counts of rape, assault by penetration and section 47 assault at Manchester Crown Court.
The incidents began on February 5 when Hall approached a 29-year-old woman on Fairfield Street, pushed her down an alleyway and raped her. She managed to escape and alert police.
Hall then raped three women and sexually assaulted another in separate incidents between 8.30pm and 10.30pm on Tuesday March 5. He was arrested shortly after 10.30pm on a bus leaving the city centre.
Detective Inspector Simon Davies said: “The women that Hall targeted were sex workers and he used excessive violence against these vulnerable victims, who are understandably traumatised by what happened to them.
“Specially trained officers worked with the women and Manchester Action on Street Health to obtain their accounts so that we could bring this man to justice and I am grateful for their courage in coming forward.”
On March 5, Hall jumped on a 32-year-old woman and sexually assaulted her, later that day he grabbed another woman putting one hand around her throat and the other on her mouth after she approached him to use his phone.
He then dragged her into a wooded area between 8pm and 9pm on Great Ancoats Street and raped her.
Around an hour later, he approached a 37-year-old woman on Betley Street and they walked together to a nearby field.
He then threw her to the ground and raped her. She managed to escape and ran to the road where she stopped a motorist to ask for help.
Hall then asked a fourth woman for a cigarette at around 10.20pm and after walking together to Harrison Street Hall he pushed her into a ginnell and forced himself on her.
He threatened to stab her, but she managed to escape and alert police.
Hall got on to the 219 bus to leave the city centre but officers were able to stop the bus on Ashton Old Road and arrested him.
Picture courtesy of Nolene Dowdall via Flickr, with thanks.
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