'IF you don't stop I will rape you' – those are the terrifying words said to a young victim as she struggled to free herself from her attacker's grasp.

The terrified victim, who said she is now preparing to leave Weymouth as she no longer feels safe, was attacked in the street and again in her home after a night out.

Sean Vaughan Herman, aged 29, of Norfolk Road in Weymouth, was jailed for six years at Dorchester Crown Court after pleading guilty to assault by penetration, sexual assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and common assault.

It relates to incidents in the early hours of June 21 this year.

Prosecutor Robert Bryan said Herman had approached the 20-year-old victim in Rendezvous before following her to two other venues. The victim left Boombox at around 4am, having not seen Herman in some time. She was walking home along the Esplanade when she saw Herman. He repeatedly asked to walk her home and she repeatedly refused, the court was told. She continued to walk home past the Kings' Statue and he followed.

Mr Bryan said: "Then all of a sudden he pushed her up against the railings and into a doorway. It was not until he did that that she really thought she was in trouble. She told him to stop it but he clearly wasn't listening. He touched her upper body over her clothing and then bit her neck. He had hold of her tightly in what she described as a 'really quite aggressive manner'. She said to police she must have told him to stop at least 10 to 15 times.

"When she was struggling by the railings he said 'if you don't stop I will rape you'."

At this point the victim decided to "change tactics" and managed to ring her fiancée on her phone and leave a recording of the incident on his voicemail as she continued to walk home.

On entering her home the victim was forced to the floor and pinned down by Herman. She shouted out and her fiancé came to her rescue. A fight then broke out between the fiancé and Herman before the couple managed to get him out of the house.

Mr Bryan said: "Just because she showed considerable strength of character and fortitude should not be taken in any way to suggest she was interested. It was always apparent she was not."

Having fled, Herman tried to gain entry into another property nearby before breaking into a flat and assaulting the homeowner as she tried to escape.

Mitigating, Jamie Porter said that Herman's behaviour was "out of character" and he was "unreservedly apologetic" and had no recollection of the incident.

He said: "A few days prior to this incident he had separated from his partner which has had a huge impact on him - that and losing his job. He has a young family and he is not someone who acts in this way. Something went very wrong that night."

Judge Peter Crabtree sentenced Herman to six years and three months in prison.

AFTER the case, Detective Sergeant Nicky Jenkins, of Weymouth CID, said: “Herman’s actions that evening were despicable and it was clear he was determined to go out and attack innocent women.

“He is someone who poses a significant danger to the public and his actions have had a serious impact on his victims. 

“I hope the sentence handed out by the courts will bring some level of comfort to his victims knowing that their attacker is behind bars for a considerable amount of time and that he can no longer harm anyone else.”

THE victim read out her impact statement to the court and said her "independence had been robbed".

She said: "I returned to work just days after. I was desperate to get back to normality. But one day I was sent home after suffering a panic attack.

"I second guess every decision I make. I am now taking medication to help me sleep and for my anxiety.

"Weymouth has become a place where I still feel happy but no longer feel safe. So my fiancé and I are planning to move abroad.

"This act will follow me around for the rest of my life. My fiancé and I are due to marry next year in the town that used to be special to me. I don't want to look back at what will be the best day of my life and have images of the attack.

"I want him to know how his despicable behaviour has hurt me and my loved ones."