Description
Francis O'Connor brutally assaulted his victim by grabbing her throat and putting his legs around her neck, before later trying to rape her as she slept.
The victim bravely managed to fight him off and get to safety, but not before 30-year-old O'Connor grabbed her throat again in another terrifying assault.
O'Connor, of HMP Doncaster, then fled the scene in the victim's car and stole £300 of cash from her before officers located him and arrested him.
After answering no comment to all questions during a police interview, he was charged with multiple offences after an investigation by the PVP team.
While on remand in custody, O'Connor was heard on a phone call encouraging a relative to contact the victim in order to get her to drop the charges against him.
He told the relative to "sort it out" and "go round to speak to her and then put me on speaker phone".
A second investigation was subsequently launched and O'Connor was charged with the additional offence of attempting to intimidate a witness.
The calibre of evidence secured in both investigations led to O'Connor pleading guilty to intimidating a witness, attempted rape, intentional strangulation, affray, theft and driving a motor vehicle without the owner's consent.
Last Thursday (12 December), he was jailed for 11-and-a-half years at Sheffield Crown Court, with a four-year extended licence period.
Detective Constable Chloe Wharmby, who was the officer in charge of this case, said: "O'Connor subjected his victim to a brutal, horrifying and unforgivable attack which has impacted her life significantly.
"What she endured was utterly traumatic and I want to commend the victim for her bravery and courage in coming forward and reporting O'Connor's crimes to us.
"Even in the face of intimidation, she remained resolute, and I hope O'Connor's prosecution and conviction will bring her some sense of justice and allow her to move on from this awful ordeal.
"We remain absolutely committed to targeting perpetrators of sexual assaults and tackling violence against women and girls.
"The PVP team worked diligently on this case to safeguard the victim and build up a strong case against O'Connor which has now resulted in a lengthy prison sentence.
"If you have been a victim of a sexual assault, please come forward and report it to us. You will be listened to and we will support you through the process in order to secure justice for victims."
O'Connor must sign the Sex Offenders' Register indefinitely and has been given a restraining order which prevents him from making any contact with his victim.