Lone dog walker escaped kidnap attempt after 'playing dead'

Connor Woodrow, of Boynton Drive, Rawcliffe, pleaded guilty to attempted kidnap at a trial in August and was sentenced at Hull Crown Court on December 17.

On March 29, the 22-year-old following a lone female who was walking her dog on a remote area of the riverbank in Rawcliffe, and grabbed her from behind.

His victim fought back and managed to get away when she played dead, leading to Woodrow loosening his grip on her.

He then also ran away from the scene, and then jumped off the M62 bridge near Dobella Lane, falling onto the carriageway below and leaving himself with serious injuries.

Woodrow, who was on release from prison for a serious assault he committed in Carlton in North Yorkshire in 2016, was arrested at the scene and recalled to prison as he awaited trial.

Acting Detective Sergeant James Kelly, from Humberside Police, said: "Firstly, I want to praise the victim for her bravery throughout the investigative process and do not underestimate the trauma that she must have felt having had to relive the events at court.

“Woodrow’s actions caused significant distress to the victim, the long-term impacts of which are still becoming known. It is clear that he poses a significant danger to women, and I am pleased by the lengthy sentence handed out to him today.

“Now that Woodrow has been sentenced, hopefully the victim can begin to feel safer and start to move on from her horrific ordeal.”