(Image: Durham Constabulary)
A drunken man pinned a woman down and forcibly stripped her in front of another man, leaving her terrified she was going to be raped.
Stuart James Benton also strangled the woman to the point of passing out, leaving her fearing she was going to die, and when she tried to ring 999 he grabbed the phone and smashed it.
Benton was arrested after she told her mother of the ordeal.
The 27-year-old, of Yoden Road, Peterlee, appeared at Teesside Crown Court on Tuesday (August 11) having changed pleas to admit two counts of sexual assault plus intentional strangulation on the day his trial was due to start in June.
Jon Harley, prosecuting, said the offences were committed when Benton was under the influence of drink and drugs.
In one case Benton, who had been out with friends, pinned her down and stripped her of her clothing.
She threw herself to the floor, where she was stamped on and kicked, the court heard.
Tony Davis, for Benton, said he has no relevant previous convictions.
He said although the violence did not form part of the charges, they were part and parcel of the offending, “the facts of which are sinister enough”.
Mr Davis said the offending came at a time when Benton was using drugs daily.
He said his time remanded in custody has allowed Benton to reflect and he “bitterly regrets” his actions.
“Eventually, he had the good sense to plead guilty, which at least spared the victim from having to give evidence at trial.
“He has not found his experience of being in prison a good one, other than to allow him to reflect on his behaviour.
"He will engage with any assistance that can be provided for him to overcome the drug abuse that led him into this offending.”
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Judge Jo Kidd told Benton his offending had caused the victim “humiliation and degradation", and she believed she was going to be raped.
“It’s clear she has suffered severe psychological injury as a result of the offending by you.”
The judge said although Benton did eventually make admissions, it was only when the victim turned up at court to give evidence on the day the trial was due to start, on June 30.
“Your position became untenable, and you finally pleaded guilty.”
Imposing a prison sentence of six years and three months, the judge told Benton he would serve half before being released on licence.
The judge also made Benton subject to indefinite registration as a sex offender and issued a restraining order relating to his victim.
She said he would be placed on the automatic barring register, restricting with whom who he can ever be in a position of work or supervisory role.