Man from Teesside jailed for life for the multiple rapes of five women
The victims bravely spoke out on the ordeal they endured
Last updated 10th Jan 2022
A 31 year-old man from Teesside has been jailed for life, after he pleaded guilty at Teesside Crown Court to 11 charges of rape, attempted rape and sexual assault of five women.
Tom Rodwell targeted the women between September 2017 to September 2020.
Rodwell, who was a former Royal Navy sailor from Acklam who was a student paramedic, met his victims over social media.
One of several victims mostly university students who met him on the Tinder website told the judge he was violent that she felt that if he had not been arrested he would have killed somebody.
Another woman said that during Covid she was imprisoned in her home with a monster who taunted her on line after his arrest, and a third said that she ended up £6,000 in debt while supporting him.
Rodwell , who had no previous convictions, made no admissions during police interviews when he largely replied “No comment."
Prosecutor Richard Bennett said that there was a clearly enough evidence on which the court could pass a life sentence.
'An unquestionably dangerous man'
The Recorder of Middlesbrough Judge Paul Watson QC said that he had left long-lasting and deep emotional scars which will take years to heal if it does.
The judge added: "You are unquestionably a dangerous man”.
DC Rick Sainsbury, who led the investigation said:
“Rodwell’s offending is despicable. He is a dangerous individual and his selfish and depraved action have caused lasting harm to his victims and their families.
“We welcome today’s sentence and that he will be on the sex offenders’ register for the rest of his life.
“Today the whole investigative team want to pay tribute to the victims in this case who have shown undeniable courage throughout the investigative process and without them we would not have got this result.
“It is thanks to them Rodwell will now be behind bars and no longer able to cause harm to women. They should be proud of their actions and we hope they will now be able to find some form of closure.
“We’d like to encourage anyone who is affected by hearing about this case to remember that you can report sexual offences to police, whether historical or recent, and you will be listened to and supported.
“Alternatively anyone who is a victim of rape or sexual abuse can contact Teesside Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) for help and support, regardless of whether or not the offence has been reported to police.
“SARC provides 24-hour crisis intervention and a range of options. SARC works in partnership with local specialist services (such as Barnado’s, A Way Out and Arch) and can access support on behalf of victims. SARC crisis workers are available on 03333448283 at any time of day or night.”