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Group caught rapist after attack | Group caught rapist after attack |
(40 minutes later) | |
A rapist who was caught by a group of people after he attacked a woman on a footpath has been jailed for life. | |
Martin Walsh, 19, from Blakes Close in Stanley, County Durham, admitted two rapes and an indecent assault. | |
Durham Crown Court heard he grabbed his 21-year-old victim as she walked her dogs on the cycle and walkway at Tanfield, County Durham. | |
The judge said he subjected her to a horrifying sexual attack, and praised those who responded to her cries. | |
Judge Tim Hewitt said: "Suffice to say you have ruined her life." | |
The court heard that the attack happened in July, just hours after Walsh had been given a Community Order for assaulting his adoptive mother. | |
'Danger to public' | |
He was "drunk and angry" when he dragged the young woman into bushes and threatened to kill her before carrying out what was described as a series of sickening attacks. | |
The victim managed to struggle free and two schoolboys heard her screams. | |
They tracked Walsh and alerted nearby allotment holders, who detained him until police arrived and arrested him. | |
At an earlier hearing Walsh had admitted two charges of rape, one charge of assault by penetration and one charge of attempting to choke, suffocate or strangle with intent to rape. | |
Judge Tim Hewitt said he was a danger to the public and must serve a minimum tariff of five years and eight months. |