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'I've done three or four. I've had the best night of my life': Paranoid schizophrenic raped three women in less than an hour near train station after voices told him to 'get everyone'
- Thomas Hall raped three women and sexually assaulted a fourth
- Court hears he had heard voices in his head telling him to 'get everyone'
- He was heard bragging to a friend on the phone after attacks
- He will now be detained indefinitely at a maximum security hospital
By JAMES RUSH PUBLISHED: 12:34 GMT, 7 September 2013 | UPDATED: 13:21 GMT, 7 September 2013
A paranoid schizophrenic has been detained indefinitely at a maximum security hospital after he raped three women in less than an hour during a series of violent attacks. Serial rapist Thomas Hall, 33, attacked four sex workers after prowling around Piccadilly train station, in Manchester. Hall, who raped three of the women and sexually assaulted the other, is said to have bragged to a friend on the phone 'I've done three or four now. I've had the best night of my life' after attacking his last victim.
Thomas Hall prowled around Piccadilly train station, in Manchester, before attacking four women
At the time of the attacks Hall, who has been a paranoid schizophrenic since he was a teenager, was on police bail for raping another woman a month earlier
Manchester Crown Court heard how Hall had heard voices in his head telling him to 'get everyone'. Two of the women ran half-naked down the street and flagged down passing motorists to raise the alarm following the attacks, the court was told. At the time of the attacks Hall, who has been a paranoid schizophrenic since he was a teenager, was on police bail for raping another woman a month earlier.
He will now be detained indefinitely at maximum security Ashworth Hospital under the mental health act. He cannot be released without the agreement of doctors and a mental health tribunal. Judge Richard Mansell QC said: 'You are a very dangerous man. Ordinarily you would receive lengthy custodial sentence running well into double figures.
Manchester Crown Court (pictured) heard how Hall had heard voices in his head telling him to 'get everyone'
'These offences demonstrate serious violence and sexual violence. You pose a risk not just to women, but people generally. 'It is impossible to know how long that risk will remain.' Henry Blackshaw, prosecuting, said Hall, formerly of Audenshaw, Tameside, went out on the evening of Tuesday, March 5, after receiving his benefits payments.
'These offences demonstrate serious violence and sexual violence. You pose a risk not just to women, but people generally'
- Judge Richard Mansell QC
He was spotted at the offices of the Manchester Action for Street Health charity making derogatory comments about prostitutes. At about 8.30pm he asked his first victim, who was in her 20s, if she was working before going with her to a nearby industrial estate. He then grabbed her by the throat, put his hand over her mouth and sexually assaulted her.
He punched her in the face as she fled after she had refused 'compensation'. He dragged his second victim to a wooded area where he raped her. The woman was said to be so terrified, she said she thought she was going to die. After breaking free the woman ran into the street where a university lecturer let her take refuge in his car.
Hall's third victim, a sex worker in her 30s, told him she was pregnant to make him stop as he raped her in a field. She alerted a passing driver after she had managed to escape. Hall raped his last victim at about 9.30pm after taking a sex worker to an alleyway. She heard him bragging to a friend on the phone afterwards.
He was arrested after police stopped a bus which was making its way out of the city centre. He is said to have told officers 'how can it be rape if you've paid out?'. Hall, who also suffers from personality disorders, pleaded guilty to four counts of rape, one sexual assault and assault causing actual bodily harm at an earlier hearing.
Adrian Farrow, defending, said Hall had had a very troubling experience in childhood which led to him having flashbacks. He said: 'Before these offences he admitted himself to hospital complaining that he was hearing voices and told them they had a responsibility to protect him from others, showing a degree of insight.'
A paranoid schizophrenic has been detained indefinitely at a maximum security hospital after he raped three women in less than an hour during a series of violent attacks. Serial rapist Thomas Hall, 33, attacked four sex workers after prowling around Piccadilly train station, in Manchester. Hall, who raped three of the women and sexually assaulted the other, is said to have bragged to a friend on the phone 'I've done three or four now. I've had the best night of my life' after attacking his last victim.
Thomas Hall prowled around Piccadilly train station, in Manchester, before attacking four women
At the time of the attacks Hall, who has been a paranoid schizophrenic since he was a teenager, was on police bail for raping another woman a month earlier
Manchester Crown Court heard how Hall had heard voices in his head telling him to 'get everyone'. Two of the women ran half-naked down the street and flagged down passing motorists to raise the alarm following the attacks, the court was told. At the time of the attacks Hall, who has been a paranoid schizophrenic since he was a teenager, was on police bail for raping another woman a month earlier.
He will now be detained indefinitely at maximum security Ashworth Hospital under the mental health act. He cannot be released without the agreement of doctors and a mental health tribunal. Judge Richard Mansell QC said: 'You are a very dangerous man. Ordinarily you would receive lengthy custodial sentence running well into double figures.
Manchester Crown Court (pictured) heard how Hall had heard voices in his head telling him to 'get everyone'
'These offences demonstrate serious violence and sexual violence. You pose a risk not just to women, but people generally. 'It is impossible to know how long that risk will remain.' Henry Blackshaw, prosecuting, said Hall, formerly of Audenshaw, Tameside, went out on the evening of Tuesday, March 5, after receiving his benefits payments.
'These offences demonstrate serious violence and sexual violence. You pose a risk not just to women, but people generally'
- Judge Richard Mansell QC
He was spotted at the offices of the Manchester Action for Street Health charity making derogatory comments about prostitutes. At about 8.30pm he asked his first victim, who was in her 20s, if she was working before going with her to a nearby industrial estate. He then grabbed her by the throat, put his hand over her mouth and sexually assaulted her.
He punched her in the face as she fled after she had refused 'compensation'. He dragged his second victim to a wooded area where he raped her. The woman was said to be so terrified, she said she thought she was going to die. After breaking free the woman ran into the street where a university lecturer let her take refuge in his car.
Hall's third victim, a sex worker in her 30s, told him she was pregnant to make him stop as he raped her in a field. She alerted a passing driver after she had managed to escape. Hall raped his last victim at about 9.30pm after taking a sex worker to an alleyway. She heard him bragging to a friend on the phone afterwards.
He was arrested after police stopped a bus which was making its way out of the city centre. He is said to have told officers 'how can it be rape if you've paid out?'. Hall, who also suffers from personality disorders, pleaded guilty to four counts of rape, one sexual assault and assault causing actual bodily harm at an earlier hearing.
Adrian Farrow, defending, said Hall had had a very troubling experience in childhood which led to him having flashbacks. He said: 'Before these offences he admitted himself to hospital complaining that he was hearing voices and told them they had a responsibility to protect him from others, showing a degree of insight.'
