An Atlanta police detective testified Tuesday that a sexual assault suspect was caught on video stalking a Georgia Tech student he attempted to rape, according to Channel 2 Action News.
Surveillance footage that was revealed during a probable cause hearing showed Joshua Manns hiding in a hoodie and lurking around corners as he stalked the woman before attempting to rape her in an apartment, Atlanta police Detective William Walters said.
Manns, 22, of Austell, was arrested Nov. 10 after Atlanta police said he followed the woman and tried to rape her at the Square on Fifth apartments, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution previously reported. Manns was released from jail two days before the alleged attack on multiple stalking charges.
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“As he’s rounding corners, he’s looking around to see if anybody else is watching,” Walters said in court. “It was almost haunting to watch as he stalked her.”
Walters testified that Manns admitted to attempting to remove the victim’s underwear and “was hoping for sexual intercourse.”
Police said Manns struggled with the victim as he was pulling off her clothes, the AJC previously reported. When the woman screamed, her roommate and the roommate’s boyfriend came to her aid. Manns ran out of the apartment, police said.
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Tuesday’s hearing was not the first time Manns had been accused of stalking on the university’s campus.
According to Fulton County court records, he pleaded guilty in September to a July 16 stalking case on the Tech campus. He was sentenced to 12 months of probation, ordered to pay a $49 monthly probation fee and told not to have contact with the victims.
A judge revoked his probation Nov. 15.
Manns, who faces burglary and attempted rape charges, is due back in court Jan. 9.
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