A vile sexual predator who grabbed a woman out walking, placed a fleece over her head and dragged her to the ground has been jailed.

Sohail Ahmed attacked the woman in her 50s with the intent to commit a sexual offence back in August last year.

His victim had been out for a morning walk when she was approached by Sohail, 54, who grabbed her, placed a fleece over her head and dragged her to the ground.

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She luckily managed to fight off the disgusting attacker and flee the scene – phone police when she got home.

The fleece was found discarded nearby carrying Sohail’s DNA. He was arrested, charged, and later convicted of assault with intent to commit a sexual offence.

The incident happened on North Walbottle Road in Newcastle in August.

Appearing before Newcastle Crown Court on Thursday (April 13) Sohail, of Benwell Grove, Newcastle, was locked up for four years.

His victim, who believes Sohail intended to sexually assault or rape her, said she has suffered frequent nightmares since the attack.

In a victim impact statement she said: “I used to be confident and determined, I don't think I'm likely to return to how I was. My sleep routine has changed, and I have frequent nightmares.

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“Although the injuries I sustained were relatively minor, I don't believe the man that attacked me had the simple intention of assaulting me to cause such injuries; I believe he intended on sexually assaulting or raping me.

“He must have followed me for a long time and over a significant distance, and he chose to attack me at a location that, had he been able to do so, would have been well hidden from passing traffic by dense foliage.

“This was clearly intentional. The only reason he was not able to do so was because I fought back. I genuinely believe, had I not, his intention was to drag me into a nearby ditch, hidden from view, and sexually assault me. The thought of him doing this to me, or any other person, absolutely terrifies me.”

Following the sentencing, Northumbria DS Lindsay Ravenhill praised the victim’s bravery and courage.

She said: “This was a terrifying ordeal for the victim, and I hope knowing Sohail is now behind bars helps her to begin to move forward.

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“The details of this case are very concerning. We know that Sohail deliberately approached his victim while she was out alone, targeting her in an area where he believed no one would see or hear what unfolded and even used an item of clothing to obstruct her view.

“This predatory behaviour has no place anywhere, let alone in our community and thanks to the support and cooperation of the victim, we were able to present a case before the court, resulting in a dangerous man being jailed.

“Our message is clear to anyone who has been a victim of a sexual assault – we are here for you so please get in touch.”