Man who followed and tried to rape woman jailed

A man who followed a woman before attempting to rape her has been jailed.

Paul Jinks stalked the woman as she walked home from a night out in Long Eaton, Derbyshire, in July 2024, grabbed her from behind, hit her in the face and sexually assaulted her before attempting to rape her.

Jinks, of no fixed address, was arrested and charged with attempted rape after officers found his blood on a broken bin he had climbed when the woman's cries for help were heard by residents.

The 21-year-old admitted the offence at Nottingham Crown Court and on 7 February he was jailed for eight years and nine months.

During the attack, Jinks grabbed the victim from behind as she reached Darwin Road and put his hand over her mouth, telling her not to shout, said police.

She then attempted to break free and fight him but fell on the floor and Jinks dragged her to a secluded grassy area.

The woman's cries for help were heard by the residents of a nearby house who yelled at Jinks to leave her alone and ran out on to the street to help.

Jinks fled the scene and ran through a nearby garden and climbed on to a bin to escape.

CCTV footage from the area showed Jinks had followed the woman for some time and was also seen following at least two other women before the incident.

The blood from the bin was tested and found to belong to Jinks, who was believed to be living in the Cambridgeshire area on a traveller encampment.

He was then located and arrested by police.

In a victim impact statement, the woman said: "Since this has happened I don't feel like I will ever be able to go out on my own again, at least not any time soon.

"I feel like I would be terrified doing this and constantly looking behind my shoulder wondering who may appear behind me.

"I have heard about these things happening but I never thought that this would happen to me."

Det Con Esther Hodson, of Derbyshire Police, said Jinks's attack was a "truly horrifying incident".

"She bravely tried to fight him off and thankfully when her screams were heard by people living nearby, Jinks was stopped in the act and fled the area," she said.

"He is clearly a very dangerous individual who poses a real threat to women so I'm glad that he is now off the streets and behind bars."

In addition to a prison sentence, Jinks was given an extended licence period of six years and placed on the sex offenders register for life.

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