Ben Creek 32

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A sex attacker who put a noose around a woman's neck and dragged her away has been jailed for eight years.

Ben Creek, 31, launched the "sinister and disturbing" attack as his victim returned from taking her children to school in Holbeck, Leeds, last year, a jury heard.

He pinned her to the ground before before a passer-by interrupted and Creek fled through rush-hour traffic.

Creek, of Britannia Road, Morley, was jailed at Leeds Crown Court on Friday.

The court had heard that Creek grabbed the woman, who was in her 20s, from behind as she walked under a viaduct between Domestic Road and Cross Ingram Road at about 09:15 BST on 5 May last year.

Dressed in black with a beanie hat and with his face covered, Creek choked the struggling victim with the noose as he dragged her to a grassy area.

After the passer-by intervened, he fled through queuing traffic on busy city centre roads, including the A643 dual carriageway.

Creek was arrested 10 days later, after CCTV images released in a police appeal led to his identification.

Detectives learned he had also exposed himself to a schoolgirl in Asquith Avenue, Morley, four days after the noose attack.

In November, Creek had pleaded guilty to sexual assault, attempting to choke, suffocate or strangle a person in order to commit an offence, indecent exposure, and outraging public decency.

After the sentencing, Det Insp Suzanne Hall, of West Yorkshire Police, said: "This was a very sinister and disturbing incident. A woman was brazenly attacked near a busy road as she walked back from taking her child to school during the morning rush hour.

"It was terrifying for her and it has left her traumatised."

The offences showed Hall was a "dangerous sexual predator", Det Insp Hall added.

"We hope it will give some degree of comfort to his victims and to the wider community to know that he is behind bars."

Creek will also have to serve five years on licence after his eventual release from prison.