Dwayne Rhoden 34

Description

The detective who led a harrowing rape investigation in Whitby has praised a teenage girl whose courage ensured her attacker has been jailed for 12 years.

Dwayne Anthony Rhoden (pictured below), 34, from Union Street, Middlesbrough, was sentenced at York Crown Court today (Wednesday 17 April 2024).

Following a trial in January, Rhoden was found guilty of nine offences including:

• Five counts of rape
• Two counts of sexual assault by penetration
• Sexual assault
• False imprisonment

He pleaded guilty to a 10th offence of failing to comply with change of address notifications as a Registered Sex Offender.

As well as the prison sentence which includes an extended three years on licence, Rhoden was also made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Background to the investigation

The incident happened at an address in Whitby from around 11pm on Sunday 13 August 2023 to just after midnight on Monday 14 August 2023.

At 12.53am, a 999 call was made to North Yorkshire Police by a friend of the victim.

The girl was then put on the phone and she gave the first account of her terrifying ordeal to the Force Control Room.

An investigation was launched led by Detective Constable Matthew Edwards from the Scarborough and Ryedale Safeguarding Investigation Team.

He was able to establish that Rhoden had lured the teenager to a bedsit he was staying in after meeting her in town around 30 minutes before.

The teenager was eventually able to leave the address after about an hour. She contacted friends who helped her to alert the police.

Rhoden was arrested at the bedsit at 2.42am and was taken into custody for questioning.

He was subsequently charged with the 10 offences.