Attacker jailed

A "LONELY" man who attacked a 17-year-old girl as she walked to school has been jailed.

Daniel Price grabbed the schoolgirl from behind in an alleyway in Bury St Edmunds, took her purse and told her to take her clothes off.

The 25-year-old, of Mermaid Close, Bury St Edmunds, had denied indecent assault and robbery, but was convicted by a jury at Ipswich Crown Court in January.

He was given a three-year jail term by a judge at the court and told to sign on the sex offenders' register for carrying out the "terrifying" attack.

Sentencing Price, Judge John Holt said the attack had had a severe impact on the teenager, who was still worried about being in public places.

The court had been told Price had grabbed the schoolgirl in the alleyway between Fornham Road and Northgate Avenue on June 12 last year.

He put his hand over her month and tried to kiss her, telling the teenager to "get her kit off".

The terrified girl managed to break free and sought help from a passer-by. She picked her attacker out of an identification parade at Ipswich Police Station a month later.

Hugh Vass, mitigating, said Price was "someone who doesn't find inter-personal relationships easy" and was "a rather lonely man".

He added the attack had not been pre-meditated and Price had previously been of good character.

Judge Holt told Price he would be jailed for half the three-year sentence and extended his licence to five years, as well as ordering him to sign on the sex offenders' register.

"These are offences of violence. It has been pointed out the violence used was relatively minor – and there is something in that. But it has to be put in the context that you terrified your victim," he said.

"She still has worries about what happened and has difficulty being in public places – the sort of symptoms you would expect from the terrifying attack you carried out."