A sex attacker who abused a teenager in an "evil" assault in an alleyway has been jailed.
Mark Storey sexually assaulted the victim as he made his way home after a night out in Haltwhistle, Northumberland. The 43-year-old claimed the frightened girl had "forced" him to have sexual contact and he "felt unable to push her away".
Storey, of Stonerigg Close, Haltwhistle, denied sexual assault during a trial at Newcastle Crown Court but was found guilty by jurors. Now he has been jailed for six-and-a-half years.
In a victim impact statement, the girl said she was left feeling "numb, confused and upset" afterwards and "like everything was closing in on me" and "like my world was ending". She added that she was left feeling anxious and worried about what people thought about her.
Judge Stephen Earl told Storey he had committed an "evil crime" and added: "This was an appalling act of violence against a young woman. She didn't want this to happen.
"You were saying you couldn't resist her advances on you. That, the jury saw through. You went into predatory mode and this girl suffered quite significantly as a result. This was an appalling, violent act on a young woman."
The court heard Storey has no similar previous convictions and has been in employment.
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