Horrifying second knife-wielding paedophile chases schoolgirl down the road in tried homicide bid after grooming and stalking her on-line – as he’s jailed for 43 years

A violent sexual predator who stalked a schoolgirl before trying to murder her has been jailed for 43 years. 

Ellis Dismore, 24, hounded his victim online after using multiple fake media profiles to pose as a young teenager before threatening her with violence and rape. 

The university graduate later ambushed the girl as she was walking home from school on a street in Middlesbrough and got her attention by pretending to need medical assistance. 

Dismore was caught on CCTV and dashcam footage chasing the girl as she got off a school bus before stabbing her five times in the back and chest on June 22, 2023. 

The girl miraculously survived the attack after a passing motorist bravely intervened and quickly drove her to a nearby school, where she was then taken to hospital. 

In a statement read to the court, the girl said Dismore had ‘ruined’ her life, adding that she was a ‘normal, happy’ teenager before being made to feel like a ‘prisoner’. 

Police investigating the murder attempt later found Dismore had contacted eight other victims online over a period of seven years, grooming and enticing them into sending indecent images.

He was jailed for 38 years with a further five years on extended licence after being found guilty of 26 offences including attempted murder, making indecent photographs of a children and inciting a child into sexual activity. 

Teesside Crown Court heard Dismore would incite his victims to send him indecent images of themselves before threatening to share these images and to harm or rape the girls if they refused to comply with his wishes. 

He would then attempt to meet up with his victims and engage in sexual activity, again threatening them if they refused. 

Dismore had posed as a teenage boy called James Wilson when he met the teenager online and began demanding indecent pictures of her, the court heard. 

In a statement read to the court, the girl said Dismore threatened her to the point where she did not want to leave the house.

Dismore was jealous and controlling over the pupil, telling her she couldn’t see friends and pressuring her to send indecent photographs of herself. 

She added: ‘I did what he told me to because I was scared what would happen to me, my friends and family.’

‘I was so frightened of Dismore, or “James” I told a friend of mine what had been going on, and she told me to block him,’ she told the court. 

‘I heard that he had sent indecent photos of me, that I had sent him. I was so embarrassed that people I know and strangers would see pictures of me.’

The victim said: ‘Ellis Dismore tried to kill me. I replay that attack over and over again in my head. I’m scared to go out now.’

The girl eventually told her mother about Dismore and contacted the police, which prompted the 24-year-old to send her further horrific messages, explaining he would happily do ‘jail time’ for stabbing her in the heart.

On the day of the attack, Dismore was seen purchasing a pack of steak knives from Wilko and then waited for the teen in Middlesbrough. 

When he approached the girl, pretending to need medical help, she quickly recognised his voice and ran away. 

However Dismore chased her down and stabbed her several times, before a passing motorist heard her screams, and told the teen to get in their car. 

The victim suffered horrific injuries – three puncture wounds to her left breast and a slash wound to her hand. The girl said she thought she was going to die before the motorist saved her life. 

Teesside Crown Court heard that Dismore’s attack would ‘likely have been fatal’ if the passing motorist hadn’t stopped. 

Dismore was found guilty of the attempted murder after standing trial in December 2023. He pleaded guilty to the possession of a bladed article, after CCTV showed him buying knives and using one of them to stab his victim.

Sentencing for the attempted murder was delayed, after police found evidence that Dismore had blackmailed and demanded intimate photos from other underage pupils. 

Forensic examination of his computer and phone, showed that the gaming-obsessed masters student had downloaded indecent images of children and that he had contacted eight other girls.

He messaged them – often using fake profiles – and groomed them, until they sent him naked photos of themselves. 

Dismore targeted school pupils who were young teens and as his offences continued over several years, he used fake photos to pretend he was a teenage boy himself.

He was under 16 himself, when he contacted his first two child victims.

Dismore stood trial for a second time last year, over the charges relating to the eight further victims. He later pleaded guilty to a second count of making indecent images of children. 

Another victim said she felt that Dismore was ‘obsessed with me’ and it had been ‘too awkward’ to tell her parents that he kept sending her sexualised images. 

One girl said that Dismore put her ‘under so much pressure’ she sent him naked photos of herself that he was demanding.

She never heard from him again, once she sent the photos. Another victim, who was 14 when she met Dismore online, talked about the threats he made to rape one of her friends.

Dismore, of Stoneyhurst Avenue, Acklam, in Middlesbrough, was handed an extended 43-year sentence – comprising of 38-years in prison and five years on licence. 

He was found guilty of attempted murder; having a bladed article; seven charges of inciting a child into sexual activity; five charges of distributing an indecent photograph of a child; two charges of stalking causing fear of violence or serious harm/distress; four charges of making indecent photographs of a child; four charges of arranging/facilitating the commission of a child sexual offence; sending an indecent electronic communication with intent to cause stress/anxiety; and causing a child to watch a sexual act. 

He was made the subject of an indefinite sexual harm prevention order; and a restraining order prohibits him from contacting his nine victims indefinitely.

He will sign the sex offenders’ register for the rest of his life. After the sentencing, Detective Sergeant Andrew Hamilton from Cleveland Police, gave a statement outside court describing Dismore as a ‘violent predator’. 

The officer said: ‘Over a period of seven years, Dismore used fake social media accounts to groom and stalk a number of young girls and enticed them into sending indecent images.

‘He made vile threats towards them and sent sickening voice notes threatening to rape and stab them.

‘Dismore’s offending escalated when he attacked one 15-year-old girl in the street with a knife in a terrifying assault as she went home from school, leaving her with serious injuries.

‘Had she not been saved by a courageous passer-by, she could have lost her life.

‘This incident led to the discovery of other girls who had been preyed on by Dismore and stalked and harassed via social media.’

Debbie Breen, Head of the Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RASSO) Unit at CPS North East, said: ‘Ellis Dismore is a dangerous and violent sexual predator who manipulated his young victims into sexual activity through fear and intimidation.

‘It is clear that these were not idle threats, as Dismore went on to carry out a terrifying knife attack against one of his victims.

‘Despite the horrific nature of his actions toward them, the evidence provided by the brave young victims in this case has been instrumental in helping the Crown Prosecution Service to build such a robust case against Dismore.

‘We sincerely hope that the part they have each played in jailing such a dangerous man will bring them some measure of comfort.’