Paperwork bungle sees violent criminal Ralston Dodd set free years too early

COURT staff had one job, but an embarrassing blunder has seen violent criminal Ralston “Ratty” Dodd walk free over a six letter word.

Ralston “Ratty” Dodd, 25, was locked up last year after he almost killed Jerrell Holland by stabbing him in the back three times. Picture: Met Police

A KNIFE thug jailed for nine years is free because bungling court staff wrote nine months on his prison paperwork.

Ralston Dodd, 25, was locked up by UK authorities last year after he almost killed Jerrell Holland by stabbing him in the back three times.

But stunned Jerrell spotted Dodd in North London just weeks ago. An arrest warrant was issued after the court error was revealed — but Dodd has now gone into hiding.

Jerrell’s dad Alex said: “How can this happen?”

Friends of Dodd say he thought he had won the lottery when a court blunder freed him after a few months.

Ralston Dodd, 25, known as Ratty, stabbed Jerrell Holland three times in the back and punctured his lung after a row.

He was handed the stiff sentence in November for what was described as an “appalling act of violence that nearly cost a man his life”.

But it is believed crown court staff misheard the judge’s sentence and mistakenly filled out prison forms for a nine-month jail term instead.

It meant prison staff wrongly put Dodd back on the streets within months of him being sent down.

A friend said: “He couldn’t believe his luck. He feels like he’s won the lottery and all of his Christmases have come at once.

“He’s had to keep his head down in case anyone spots him.

“It’s unbelievable how it’s happened. He has a violent temperament — and now he’s out.”

The friend said Dodd even tried to arrange an appointment with a probation officer after his early release.

But they said they had no record of him needing their services as he was not expected to be free until 2026.

HMP Thameside jail. Picture: Google Maps

It is not known exactly when Dodd was released from HMP Thameside. But criminals are usually freed halfway through their sentence.

Dodd is known to have served no more than seven months — because he was seen in his old haunts last month.

Stunned Jerrell saw him in the passenger seat of a car in North London.

Jerrell’s dad Alex, 42, yesterday demanded answers from the police and prison authorities.

He said: “This is an unacceptable blunder by them. He got nine years for stabbing my son three times.

“He could have died. I held my son and thought he was going to die.

“How can this happen without anyone noticing? I can’t imagine they’d let out Peter Sutcliffe early.

“When my son saw him in a car he thought at first he was seeing a ghost because Ralston should be in jail.”

The Ministry of Justice issued a ­warrant for Dodd’s arrest after the alleged court bungle came to light.

But Dodd went into hiding and is still at large.

He knifed Jerrell following a gang dispute outside a housing office in Islington. CCTV footage captured Dodd plunging a knife into the 22-year-old as he tried to flee on a bike.

Jerrell was airlifted to Whitechapel Hospital in a critical condition. He has since made a full recovery.

Dodd went on the run but was ­captured weeks later by a specialist police gang squad.

He was sentenced at London’s Blackfriars crown court. The Ministry of Justice said yesterday: “Releases in error are extremely rare­ but we take any case very seriously.

“We are urgently investigating so we learn the ­lessons to prevent it ­happening again. Public protection is our priority.

“A warrant has been issued and police are pursuing the offender.”

This story originally appeared in The Sun and is republished with permission.