A man with links to Farnham and Bordon has been jailed for seven years after attempting to rape a woman he strangled and assaulted.
Southampton Crown Court heard Darren Hendry attempted to rape a woman in her 30s at an address in Aldershot in December last year.
The victim tried to leave but was assaulted and struggled to breathe when he picked her up by the ribs.
She managed to fight him off and went to Frimley Park Hospital following the “terrifying” 5am incident.
Hendry is now behind bars with prosecutors praising the victim for their helping in bringing the 35-year-old of Denmark Street, Aldershot, to justice.
The court heard on September 27 that Hendry was arrested and charged with a number of offences.
He pleaded guilty to criminal damage and harassment but denied two counts of rape and two counts of strangulation.
He also pleaded not guilty to two counts of strangulation, attempted rape and three counts of assaulting a person thereby occasioning them actual bodily harm.
He was found not guilty of two counts of rape, one count of strangulation and two counts of assaulting a person thereby occasioning them actual bodily harm with the alleged incidents taking place in Brighton and Fleet.
But Hendry was found guilty of one count of attempted rape, strangulation and assaulting a person thereby occasioning them actual bodily harm.
Hendry will also spend five years on licence once released with T/Detective Constable Sean Cooke, who led the investigation, hailing the result.
He said: “This was a terrifying incident that has had a life-long impact on the woman involved.
“I would like to praise her for her strength and the bravery that she has shown during the investigation and trial in extremely challenging circumstances.
“I hope that now Hendry is in prison, she is able to try and move forward and rebuild her life.”
He added: “No-one should have to feel in fear of their safety and everyone should feel safe and protected within our communities and violence of any kind will not be tolerated.
“I hope this case sends a clear message to those who commit violent and sexual offences, you will be pursued, we will catch you and you will be dealt with robustly.”
“Serious sexual offences are one of the most devastating crimes a person can survive and that’s why we prioritise it,” added a spokesperson for Hampshire Police.
“If you have been affected by sexual abuse, you can report this to police by calling 101. You will be treated in the strictest of confidence and we will provide you with the help and support you need.
“But we recognise not everyone who has experienced this type of abuse has the confidence to report to police. There are support services out there that can offer help to you, completely independent of the police, should you need support.”
For more information on where to seek support, look for ‘rape and sexual assault’ in the advice section of www.hampshire.police.uk