A Tyneside rapist was living in Aberdeenshire without the knowledge of police for more than a year and was only discovered when he brandished a knife at his girlfriend.
Rapist Allan Thompson, also known as Bates, was made subject to the sex offender’s register “indefinitely” following his 2007 sex crime conviction and served a seven-year sentence behind bars.
But the 32-year-old swapped Tyneside for Royal Deeside in December 2021 without informing Northumbria Police – or even telling his new partner about his dark history.
The conditions of the notification requirements mean any convicted sex offender must inform police of any change of address within three days.
Thompson was able to live in Aboyne for more than a year without being discovered.
It is thought that Thompson may have travelled back to Tyneside from Aberdeenshire in order to fool police into believing he was still living there.
The Press and Journal asked Northumbria Police why Thompson could have dropped off the radar for so long.
A spokesman said: “We conduct all necessary offender management checks in line with national College of Policing guidance.”
Thompson, whose last known address was Jarrow, South Tyneside, was just 16 when he raped a woman Camperdown, North Tyneside.
It was stated that he dragged his 18-year-old victim into a back street in January 2007 in before carrying out his sickening attack.
He then laughed in her face as he robbed her.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told Thompson was living with a woman in Aboyne from late 2021 after meeting her online.
Police were called to a property in the village’s Ladywood Drive on December 28 last year after his girlfriend messaged her daughter to say that Thompson was brandishing a knife.
Fiscal depute Kirsty Martin said Thompson had awoken his partner in a rage after he’d discovered what he believed to be messages from another man on her phone.
He then pushed the woman, causing her to fall into some boxes before returning with a knife.
Thompson held the knife to his own throat before pointing it at the woman.
The woman then became “distressed” as Thompson cut his own arm with the blade before placing it on a desk in the living room.
The court heard that when police arrived they found the woman “visibly upset” with Thompson claiming he “hadn’t assaulted anyone”.
Thompson pleaded guilty to one charge of failing to notify police about his change of address when he moved to Aboyne.
He also admitted to one charge of assault on his partner.
Defence agent Ian Woodward-Nutt confirmed that Thompson was made subject to the notification requirement following his rape conviction in 2007.
He also told the court that the couple had begun a long-distance relationship before Thompson moved to Aberdeenshire in late 2021.
Referring to his client as Bates, Mr Woodward-Nutt said: “He moved up to live with his new partner and he described the relationship as being very positive.
“But Mr Bates was concerned how she would react when she found out about his history of prior offending and he, therefore, neglected to tell the police about his new address.
“On that day he admits that it became physical at that stage, he seized a knife and he did point it towards the complainer.
“He accepts the relationship is over.”
Sheriff Margaret Hodge told Thompson she had been left with “little option” but to sentence him to a period in custody.
She sentenced Thompson, of no fixed abode, to 70 days in prison and made him subject to a non-harassment order, meaning he cannot approach his former partner for three years.
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