A MAN who pinned his victim to the floor before trying to rape her has been jailed.

Scott Holding carried out a number sex acts while the victim was struggling to break free from his grasp.

Teesside Crown Court heard how his victim managed to free herself from his grasp before shouting for help from his flat window.

The 27-year-old initially denied attacking the woman in his Stockton flat but eventually owned up to his appalling behaviour – much to the relief of his victim.

Richard Bennett, prosecuting, said Holding pulled a duvet cover off the victim and told her he was ‘going to do it again to you’ because that was what his brain was telling him to do.

The court heard how the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, valiantly attempted to fight off her attacker and managed to prevent him from raping her in 2017.

The Northern Echo: Scott HoldingScott Holding

Mr Bennett added: "The victim said 'no you're not' and she began to fight back, she kicked at him and bit him; she kicked out at his chest and when he came back at her, she managed to bite her neck and get him off her.

"She tried to escape and tried to get out of the flat but the defendant pulled her back and threw her on the mattress."

He said the defendant kept her pinned to the floor while he carried out a sex act on himself and DNA recovered at the time corroborated the victim's version of events.

Mr Bennett said the defendant offered 'no comment' during police interview when he was quizzed about his sexual attack on his victim.

In victim impact statement, she said: "I have struggled with what Scott did to me, I am always watching my back when I go out and suffer regularly with nightmares."

Holding, of Lancaster Way, Thornaby, pleaded guilty to attempted rape.

Rod hunt, in mitigation, said his client was mentally immature at the time of attack but now fully accepted responsibility for the attempted rape.

Judge Howard Crowson sentenced Holding to two years and six months in custody and issued him with an indefinite restraining order.

"You were clearly acting against her wishes, she was on the mattress, you pulled away the duvet and told her you were going to have sex with her," he said.

"She made very clear she was not going to let you have sex with her, she was able to get up but you did not desist, you pulled her back onto the mattress."

The judge said the victim was 'relieved' that Holding had eventually entered his guilty plea and said she was now 'able to finally close my eyes and dream again'.

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