Atlanta

Man accused of attempted rape at Georgia Tech was banned from campus

ATLANTA — Channel 2 Action News has learned that a man accused of attempting to sexually assault a Georgia Tech student was convicted two months earlier of stalking students on campus.

Channel 2's Tom Jones spoke to one of those students who says she was shocked to see the suspect violated the courts order to stay away from campus.

“I was in court when the judge said, ‘Stay off this campus. Stay off. Do not get near it. Do not get near Georgia Tech,’” Lindsey Silcott said.

Silcott said Joshua Manns, 22, followed her to her on campus sorority house one night in July. She ran home with Manns behind her.

“He saw that I had reached the door to the house and he immediately just disappeared,” she said.

Police say video shows Manns pursuing two other students that night. They also got away.

Manns pleaded guilty to stalking and prowling in September. He received 12 months' probation plus four months in jail, but since he already served two months in jail, he was released Nov. 1.
Silcott got the news he was being released.

“I was just like angry initially and just like there's gotta be something that needs to be addressed here,” she said.

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Then Manns was arrested for the attempted rape of another Georgia Tech student last week.

“I said you gotta be kidding me. Like this is the same guy,” Silcott said.

Police say Manns followed the student to her off campus apartment around 1:15 a.m. on Nov. 10.

Manns got off the elevator on her floor and as she entered her apartment, he pushed his way in and began to forcibly remove the victim’s clothing, according to officers.

A person in the apartment heard what was going on and confronted Manns who ran from the building, authorities said.

Silcott says Manns needed help.

“I feel like if the proper treatment was given and he wasn't released that wouldn't have happened,” she said.

Jones learned that Manns was also arrested for sexual battery in May, but is still working to learn how that was resolved.

Manns is behind bars now and has no bond.