Lone woman feared she would be raped

A VIOLENT sexual fantasist followed a charity shop worker home in the dark and attacked her by a disused railway line.

Robert Mayer had only been out of prison for six days when he started watching his victim at work before following her home one night.

The woman, who cannot be named, feared she was going to be raped as Mayer started unbuttoning her clothes.

The 44-year-old admitted false imprisonment, intending to commit a sexual offence and breaching a sexual offences order on December 19.

Now Mayer – who had been staying in Albert Street, Newcastle – has been jailed for two years for the public's protection.

Mayer had previously been jailed three years ago for attacking girls aged 15 and 16 in Stone.

David Bennett, prosecuting, told Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court: "At just after 5pm on December 19, the complainant left work at a charity shop.

"She walked home along a disused railway line.

"The defendant approached her from behind. He grabbed her shoulder and put his hand over her mouth.

"The complainant began struggling and kicked out. Mayer pulled her off the path and they fell down the embankment. He landed on top of her.

"He placed his hand over her nose and mouth. She felt as though she was being suffocated.

"He said that if she didn't scream he would let her go. She managed to convince him and he released his grip.

"He then began unbuttoning her coat and she screamed.

"She felt she was going to be raped.

"He took her by the throat and told her he would let her go if she didn't scream.

"The victim heard the sound of someone walking on the path above.

"Mayer clamped his hand over her nose and mouth, she felt she would lose consciousness.

"The complainant, feeling desperate, used all her strength and managed to turn her head and dislodge his hand and she screamed out as loud as she could.

"The defendant ran off. She then ran off along the path and got help from people living a short distance away. They confirm she was screaming and hysterical."

Mayer – who has been convicted of 49 offences since 1983 – was arrested at the bail hostel and immediately admitted the attack.

Robin Lichfield, mitigating, told the court: "Clearly these offences are unpleasant and he accepts that the previous offences are similar.

"There was no serious injury caused in either offence.

"He deserves credit for the fact that he did make admissions to staff and police at his arrest.

"He is anxious for help with his problem.

"He knows he has a problem.

"He is a person who has had grave problems as a child." Mayer must remain on the Sex Offenders' Register for the rest of his life.

Sentencing Mayer, Judge Robert Trevor-Jones told him: "This incident was quite terrifying, I'm quite sure.

"You followed the victim and accosted her somewhere relatively isolated when it was dark.

"This was a sustained attack and she thought she would end up being raped.

"What makes this worse is that you clearly planned this, you kept her under observation at work.

"You used force, you falsely imprisoned her and it happened within a week after your release from custody.

"This only came to an end by her resistance.

"I have read your psychiatric report. You have a long-standing and deep-rooted sexual obsession.

"You have a number of sexual fantasies of a violent nature.

"They are fantasies which mix sex, anger and violence. You have had medication that has had no effect.

"You represent the most clear danger to women."