THOMAS THYNE ARRESTED IN ARBROATH AFTER CHILLING ABDUCTION AND ASSAULT ON TEENAGER AND MOTHER

A terrifying incident unfolded in Arbroath when 16-year-old girl was abducted by a man described as a disturbing stranger, who refused to release her and left her fighting for her life. The attacker, identified as Thomas Thyne, approached the young girl on a local street and forcibly grabbed her, claiming he had “smoked three joints and tanked a few cans” at the time of the assault. The young victim, who was described as petrified, later suffered a severe panic attack as a result of the ordeal.

Earlier that evening, Thyne’s unsettling behavior was also directed towards a mother and her six-year-old son outside the Saltire Centre. Witnesses reported that Thyne had been harassing the woman and her child, raising questions about whether his actions had a sexual component that might necessitate registration as a sex offender.

During the court proceedings, Sheriff Paul Ralph issued a stern warning to Thyne, who is currently remanded at HMP Perth. The sheriff emphasized the gravity of the charges, stating, “Don’t be under any illusions. It’s almost inevitable that you are going to receive a custodial sentence.”

The court heard that Thyne, aged 36, has a minor criminal record that includes theft and breach of the peace. The first incident occurred around 8:30 pm on August 18 of the previous year, when the victim disembarked from a bus with her son and noticed Thyne sitting alone in the Saltire playpark. He then began to follow them, muttering “gibberish” to himself, according to the prosecution.

As the woman entered a public footpath leading to her home, Thyne continued to trail closely behind her. He then asked her, “what one of these houses are yours?” causing her to feel frightened and cautious about revealing her residence. To avoid giving away her location, she pretended she was only in the area to drop something off for a friend. Thyne persisted, asking for her phone number and then requesting her to type her name into Facebook, further unsettling her. Despite her efforts to distance herself and seek help from a neighbor, Thyne refused to leave her alone, forcing her to hurriedly return home to safety.

Later that same night, just after 10 pm, the teenage girl was walking home when she encountered Thyne again on the same street. She noticed him shouting “f*** off” randomly, and she quickly tried to pass him. However, Thyne offered her a bite of the hot dog he was holding, which she found odd. The prosecution noted that she believed Thyne was under the influence of something, as he admitted to having smoked three joints and consumed several cans of alcohol. Thyne then asked if she had any weed and requested to wipe his ketchup-soaked hands on her.

The situation took a more sinister turn when Thyne began to stroke her back repeatedly from her shoulder to her waist for about ten seconds. He then told her, “you can come home with me,” which made her extremely uncomfortable. She told him to stop touching her, to which he responded, “I won’t tell a soul.”

Despite her repeated attempts to escape, Thyne blocked her path. She then heard a car engine and heard Thyne shout, “it’s the police,” before grabbing her from behind in a bearhug. The girl described how Thyne locked his arms around her by holding his elbows and began dragging her along the path. She struggled, resisted, and screamed, feeling petrified as he continued to pull her for at least 30 seconds. Eventually, she managed to slip free from his grip and ran away, suffering a panic attack along the way, before reaching her home safely.

Police later found Thyne sleeping on a couch at his mother’s residence. He was noted to be “difficult” and “belligerent” during his detention. Thyne pleaded guilty to charges of abusive behavior, assault, and abduction. His solicitor, David Sinclair, mentioned that a psychiatric report had been prepared for further assessment.

During the court hearing, Sheriff Ralph expressed concern about the potential sexual element involved in the offenses. He stated, “The offence jumps off the page that there is a sexual element – the question whether it’s significant. There’s not enough in the offences as narrated at this stage that I would make a determination without knowing more about Mr Thyne.”

As a result, sentencing was deferred until April to allow for the preparation of a more comprehensive report. Both the defense and the Crown will submit their arguments regarding the possible sexual nature of Thyne’s actions. The sheriff concluded by condemning Thyne’s conduct, saying, “These offences are despicable. You harassed not one but two females, including a 16-year-old, to the point where you dragged her towards bushes where she may have been unaware of what could happen.”