A man who attacked a woman and threatened her with a knife as she walked along the West Dorset coast path has been jailed.

Vytautas Ausrota, aged 30 and of Plymouth in Devon, was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court on Monday, March 22, 2021 after admitting offences of threatening with an offensive weapon, committing an offence with the intent to commit a sexual offence and assault by beating.

He was sentenced to a total of three years and four months in prison and made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for an indefinite period.

At around 3pm on Saturday, August 29, 2020 the victim, a woman aged in her 50s from Surrey, was walking along the South West Coast Path just outside Lyme Regis when she heard a man running toward her from behind.

The woman moved aside, expecting the man to run past, but instead Ausrota rugby tackled her to the ground and knelt on top of her. The victim saw he was holding a penknife with the blade out.

The defendant threatened to kill the woman and said he wanted sex.

Moments later two members of the public approached and the victim asked them for help. They told Ausrota they would call the police if he did not get off her.

The defendant got up and left the scene. Police were contacted and a search of the area was launched.

At 8.08pm that evening, Dorset Police received a 999 call from the defendant, who said he had attacked a woman in Lyme Regis and officers were looking for him. Ausrota was located shortly afterwards in Broad Street and arrested.

Detective Constable Stuart Dalladay, of Western CID, said: "Ausrota subjected his victim to a truly horrifying ordeal, taking advantage of her as she was out walking alone.

"I would like to praise the victim for the courage she has shown in supporting our investigation and I am glad that we have been able to bring this dangerous offender to justice."