Jury delivers verdict on thug’s horrifying Wideopen attempted murder

A violent thug who attacked a woman and left her to die in a Wideopen field faces life behind bars after being found guilty by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court after a six-day trial.

Matthew Stevens denied attempted murder after a horrifying attack on a woman on March 10. The 27-year-old met his victim whilst she was enjoying a night out in a city centre bar with a friend.

The victim had no memory of the events which led to her being found naked in brambles to the north of Newcastle. Police pursued an evidence-led prosecution based on telecoms, CCTV and witness statements which revealed the events leading up to Stevens’ brutal attack.

During the proceedings, the court heard how Stevens had met the woman in a bar, and then got her to share a taxi with him around 2:30 am. The woman, who had left her purse in the bar, was heard asking to be taken home multiple times but was instead taken to Darrel Street in Wideopen.

Phone records would later reveal Stevens had made a number of phone calls in the car, trying to find a suitable location to take his victim so they could spend the night together. Once they were dropped off around 3 am, CCTV would show the pair walking along Drysdale Crescent, towards the nearby fields.

Hours later, a distressed dog walker would raise the alarm after finding the victim, naked, barely conscious, with severe swelling to her face and her clothes strewn across the grass.

In court, the dog walker recalled the terrifying discovery of the woman, which was preceded by finding her clothes on the grass. He said: "When I looked where the grass was it was flat as if someone had been lying there. I thought whoever it was would not leave her clothes there and I went back to where the dogs had been, in the corner. Then I went into the brambles. When I got to the bit of fence I went up and looked down.

"Before I went in I started hearing moaning. I seen her when I leant over the fence. The noise was about 20ft to my right. She was on her side, facing towards the subway so I couldn't see her face. I could see all she had on was a pair of white socks. She had her back to me, on her side."

Emergency services attended and an investigation was immediately launched.

Stevens was soon arrested at his home address with searches of his address recovering several bracelets the victim had been wearing the previous night, as well as his clothing which was stained with her blood. He was later charged with attempted murder.

Following a trial, Stevens, of Drysdale Crescent in Brunswick, was found guilty of attempted murder and is due to be sentenced on March 20 next year.

Speaking after the trial, Detective Inspector Tam Fowler of Northumbria Police said: “This was a sinister attack which I’m sure will stay with the victim for some time, and I hope today gives her that first step towards the closure she needs and deserves. Her bravery and courage throughout these proceedings has been remarkable and I am pleased the jury saw through the lies told by Stevens about his actions and intentions that night. He is a dangerous man who should not be afforded the luxury of living in our communities and I am pleased he faces a significant custodial sentence.

“Stevens’ motivations were clear and thanks to the evidence gathered, we were able to show the court how he isolated his victim, taking her away from her friend to an area she didn’t know to carry out the attack, and when he was finished, he left her alone in a field, without her clothes, phone or any ways to get home or call help, with significant facial injuries which she would have died from, had the dog walker not found her.

“I hope our communities know this type of despicable behaviour can never be excused or tolerated and as a force we will do all we can to put offenders like Stevens before the courts. Violence of any kind is completely unacceptable and I would like to thank all the officers, staff and witnesses who came forward to help us with this case, and ensure a dangerous, violent man is no longer able to harm anyone else.”