DANIEL THEOBALD SENTENCED IN NEWCASTLE FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT NEAR SHIELDFIELD
A university student from Northumbria has received a prison term of two years after being convicted of a sexual assault that took place in Newcastle.Daniel Theobald, aged 23, appeared before Teesside Crown Court last month to face charges related to the attack on a 19-year-old woman.
The incident occurred on October 16th of the previous year, when Theobald assaulted the young woman on a footbridge near Camden Street in the Shieldfield area of Newcastle.
According to reports from Chronicle Live, Theobald forcibly grabbed the woman, knocking her to the ground on the footbridge during the early hours of the morning.
He then proceeded to grope her breasts and other parts of her body, causing her significant distress.
Following the assault, the victim managed to escape by running to her accommodation, where she alerted security personnel.
The security staff, in turn, contacted law enforcement authorities to report the incident.
The court proceedings revealed that Theobald was walking back home to Heaton after a night out in Newcastle with friends.
Meanwhile, the victim was also returning to her student residence, walking with a companion until they parted ways at John Dobson Street.
It was at this point that Theobald, despite not being in close proximity initially, inadvertently followed her and carried out the assault.
Rachel Masters, who prosecuted the case, detailed the events, stating: “The defendant continued to follow her, and the complainant was on her phone at the time.
She noticed that he was behind her and became concerned that she was being followed.
The defendant was closing the gap between them.
Suddenly, he grabbed her, placing his hand around her waist, which caused her to slip to the ground.” The attack left a lasting impact on the woman’s mental health.
In her victim statement, she expressed that the traumatizing experience worsened her depression and anxiety, leaving her with troubling memories that made her feel “paranoid and sick.” She also revealed that she had considered dropping out of university due to the emotional toll of the assault.
Daniel Theobald, who resides at Burlington Gardens in Heaton, has no prior criminal history.
During the hearing, Rachel Hedworth, defending, emphasized that Theobald exhibited “utter, genuine remorse” for his actions, despite acknowledging the horrendous nature of the incident, which she described as “every girl’s nightmare.” Hedworth elaborated that Theobald was raised in a loving and stable family environment, with close relationships with his parents and siblings.
She highlighted that before this incident, he had behaved exemplary, achieving excellent academic results, including A and A* grades, and earning a first-class degree in history from Bristol University.
While at university, he volunteered at a museum and served as captain of his rugby team, demonstrating a strong work ethic.
Post-graduation, Theobald worked at a marketing agency before returning to Newcastle.
His defense also pointed out that the breakdown of a personal relationship and the recent death of his grandmother had led him into a pattern of frequent alcohol consumption.
It was noted that Theobald, who has autism spectrum disorder, had little to no recollection of the events and was profoundly disturbed by what he had done.
Judge Howard Crownson characterized the assault as “moderately violent” and said it caused “severe psychological harm” to the victim.
As part of his sentence, Theobald was ordered to serve two years behind bars and will be registered as a sex offender for ten years.
