A man who dragged a teenage girl off the street as he tried to rape her has been jailed for more than five years.

Paul Cooke, 30, was charged after his quick-thinking victim stored his number in her phone.

He was sentenced to five years and three months in prison at Maidstone Crown Court this week.

He had previously pleaded guilty to one count of attempted rape and one count of possession of amphetamine.

Cooke had stalked his victim as she walked along London Road in Greenhithe in the evening of October 10 last year, riding his bicycle slowly behind her before speeding up and passing her.

Cooke, formerly of Wainscott, then appeared on foot and dragged the 18-year-old victim into some bushes.

He tried to force her to perform a sex act but was interrupted by someone walking past.

While Cooke was distracted, his victim snatched his phone and quickly put her phone number into it.

She then called herself from his phone so she would have his number stored.

When Cooke became distracted by another passer-by, the victim hurried away and went to a nearby fast food shop, where workers called the police.

Officers arrested Cooke, whose mobile phone contained the victim’s phone number.

In interview, he claimed he had met her on the street and she had given him her phone number but officers were able to prove that Cooke had been acting suspiciously earlier in the evening, approaching females he did not know and following them around.

He was found to have a quantity of amphetamine on him when he was arrested.

DC Hollie Brown said: "Cooke carried out a terrifying assault on his victim, which has no doubt left her traumatised and I imagine she will feel the effects of this in years to come.

"However, despite her fright, she acted with incredible courage, from her quick thinking at the scene to her dignity and bravery in supporting a police prosecution against her attacker.

"Kent Police has specially-trained officers dedicated to investigating sexual offences and victims should be assured they will always be taken seriously and treated with care and compassion.

"I consider him a danger to women and believe he deserves to be in prison for his actions."