A GRADUATE aims to work for a crime-fighting agency after winning a prestigious award.

Sophie Preisendoerfer (CORRECT) won the Cleveland Police Prize for her dissertation as part of her Crime and Investigation degree course at Teesside University.

She is originally from Germany, moved to Yorkshire about five years ago to apply to study at an English university, and enrolled at Teesside.

She said: “There were loads of practical elements and the facilities are brilliant, from the crime scene house to the crime lab and the mock court room.”

She said she was “over the moon” to win the Cleveland Police prize for her dissertation and added: “It felt so amazing that all the hard work and all nighters in the University Library has paid off.”

Miss Preisendoerfer said her dream was to work for Interpol or a British intelligence agency. She is currently studying towards an MSc in Countering Organised Crime and Terrorism at University College London.

Chief Constable Jacqui Cheer, of Cleveland Police, said: “We’re really proud of our connection with the University and sponsoring this award.”

The prize has been awarded annually to a Teesside University graduate for 12 years.