A man described as being a ‘dangerous sexual predator’ who raped lone women at knifepoint in Manchester city centre has been jailed for life.
It comes after a thorough investigation by Greater Manchester Police‘s (GMP) dedicated Longsight Criminal Investigation Department.
In the early hours of the morning on Tuesday 31 January 2024, GMP received a 999 call from a victim stating that she had been raped at knife point on Mancunian Way, in Manchester city centre, and as police attended the scene, they were also approached by a second victim who had also been raped at knife point too.
It didn’t end there though, as throughout that same day, two more reports of a rape and an attempted rape at knife point, also in the same location, were reported.
But, with extensive witness statements and descriptions of the offender, the suspect was identified as Stuart Thomson from Stockport, and an urgent manhunt was subsequently launched to find him.
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/ Credit: GMP
Investigating detectives trawled CCTV to build a picture of his movements in the lead up to the attacks.
On several occasions, Thomson was captured on CCTV wearing distinctive items of clothing, including a hoodie with a grey insert on the back, a coat with green lining, a wool hat, and a high vis style t-shirt, and at the scene, police also recovered a wool hat – which was mentioned in one of the victim statements.
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The hat was seized for forensics, and while at first it came back matching someone who did not match the description of our offender, police went to the address to conduct enquiries, and upon attending found Thomson wearing the distinctive green jacket that had been identified during the CCTV trawls.
Thomson was arrested at the scene, and several other items of clothing relating to the violent offences were seized.
#JAILED | Stuart Thomson (15/03/1990) of Buxton Road, Stockport, has been sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of three counts of rape, attempted rape, sexual assault, three counts of threatening another with a bladed article, and possession of a bladed article pic.twitter.com/ESSsJBfO49
Despite answering “no comment” to every question put to him by detectives, and pleading ‘not guilty’ last during a 10-day trial at Manchester Crown Court, a jury found 34-year-old Thomson guilty of three counts of rape, attempted rape, sexual assault, three counts of threatening another with a bladed article, and possession of a bladed article.
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He was jailed for life and ordered to serve a minimum of 18 years.
Speaking following the sentencing, Detective Sergeant Jennifer Savazzi, from GMP’s Longsight Criminal Investigations Department, commented: “It’s clear that Stuart Thomson is a dangerous sexual predator. He forcibly imposed himself upon these women in a violent and callous way with no consideration for the damage he was doing to them.
“By not accepting responsibility, Thomson forced [his victims] to relive their pain throughout this trial.
“The harm offenders like Thomson cause are incalculable, but I hope this result goes some way in reassuring our victims, survivors, and members of the public that a dangerous man is off our streets, and i welcome this sentence today.”
Featured Image – GMP
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Manchester Oxford Road station could close for more than two years for a major refurb
Emily Sergeant
One of Manchester’s major central train stations could be set to close to the public for more than two years.
Hundreds of trains pass through Manchester Oxford Road each week, but that could soon be set to change, as Network Rail has today launched a public consultation on plans to carry out major upgrades at the station in a bid to “deliver improvements” for passengers and the wider rail network.
Upgrades include longer platforms, track and signalling improvements, and even the construction of a new station footbridge.
Proposed track layout and signalling improvements would reduce congestion by removing conflicting train movements, while overhead line equipment would also be upgraded, as well as over 900m of new track being laid.
Accessibility would also be improved throughout the station, with the proposed new footbridge increasing movement space for passengers and new lifts allowing step-free access to all platforms.
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Wider resurfaced platforms, and improvements to existing lifts are also planned.
Network Rail says the aim of the public consultation is to “give everyone the opportunity to review outline proposals” and to “provide their views” so that these can be taken into account and inform further design.
Feedback is being invited on all scheme elements – such as design, construction, and the impacts of the scheme on the rail network, environment and community.
Manchester Oxford Road station could close for more than two years for a major refurb / Credit: Northern
Speaking on the consultation as it launched today, Councillor Bev Craig, who is the Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “We have said for a long time that Oxford Road Station is in need of a range of improvements from easing the congestion, increasing capacity, improving reliability and ensuring that the station is accessible for all commuters.
“Any future development will be a long-term project but infrastructure upgrades like these are essential if we are to continue growing Manchester as the leading city of the North.”
The first round of consultation will run up until 28 February, both online via the feedback form available at here, as well as at two drop-in events at Friends’ Meeting House, on Mount Street in the city centre, on Saturday 1 February from 11am-4pm, and Monday 17 February from 2pm-7pm.
A second round of consultation is due to take place before the end of 2025, and once both consultations have been considered, Network Rail is looking to submit the applications needed to build the scheme next year.
Featured Image – Network Rail
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Public urged to use NHS services the ‘normal way’ after busiest winter week for jam-packed hospitals
Emily Sergeant
The public is being urged to use NHS services in ‘normal way’ this winter after hospitals experience their busiest winter week.
New data published by the NHS last week shows that more hospital beds were occupied during the first full week of the year (6-12 January 2025) than at any point so far this winter – with 97,636 adult general and acute hospital beds occupied, which equates to 96%.
In that same week, it was believed that almost one in seven occupied hospital beds (13,585) were taken up by patients who were fit to be discharged.
This meant it was officially the busiest week of the winter season so far for the NHS.
New NHS data reveals that last week saw the highest number of hospital beds occupied so far this winter, with 96% of adult general and acute beds in use.
Flu rates are still 3.5 times higher than last year, with 4,929 patients in hospital with flu on average each day of the week until 12 January, 1,112 patients across the UK were in hospital with COVID, and there was also 650 norovirus patients too, which is up 4% on the previous week and up a whopping 44% on last year.
With the cold weather set to continue and create “enormous pressure” on frontline services, it’s predicted that many hospitals could declare critical incidents.
While the NHS says it did learn from last year, and put in place measures to manage extra demand this time around, including upgraded 24-hour co-ordination centres, support for frequent users of A&E services, strengthening same day emergency care, providing more care in the community, and delivering 29 million vaccines since the autumn, there’s still more that needs to be done.
The public is being urged to use NHS services the ‘normal way’ after its busiest winter week / Credit: Pxhere
Professor Julian Redhead, who is the National Clinical Director for Urgent and Emergency Care at the NHS, said it’s “vital” that the public uses the health service in the “normal way” over the coming months.
“While it is encouraging news that flu cases are no longer increasing, hospitals are not out of the woods yet,” Professor Redhead said.
“Staff are working incredibly hard in sometimes challenging surroundings, but winter viruses are much higher than usual for this time of year, and this coupled with the cold snap and problems discharging patients means hospitals are jam-packed with patients – even as more beds have been opened to manage increased demand.
“With pressures on hospitals still formidable, it’s vital people continue to use NHS services in the normal way.
“[This means] using 111 and 111 online if you need advice and support for health conditions, and only using 999 or attend A&E in life-threatening emergencies.”
Emily Sergeant -
20th January 2025 
