A sex attacker who molested a student was caught after she bit down on his hand – leaving his blood all over her coat.

Detectives were able to track down Tony Jones using the DNA left on his victim’s clothing when they discovered it matched records held on their database.

The 43-year-old pounced on the woman from behind as she walked to a friend’s house late at night in Coventry city centre on August 4 this year.

Jones put both of his arms around her before placing his left hand between her legs and feeling her genitals over her jeans.

However, when he put his right hand over the 27-year-old’s mouth to stop her screaming she bit down on his fingers causing blood to splash onto her jacket and top.

She bit him so hard the fingers in his bones broke, which caused him to scream and flee the scene while his victim dialled 999.

Police arrested Jones the next day after DNA from his blood matched records on their database.

Jones, who had to have pins inserted into his hand to heal the broken bones, was jailed for two-and-a-half years at Coventry Crown Court after admitting sexual touching.

He was also order to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for ten years.

Sentencing Jones, Recorder Roger Evans told him: ‘This was a terrifying attack for the lady in question.

‘She was subject to an attack that is going to have a long lasting effect on her and her ability to work as a student.

‘It’s also the case that female students have the right to be able to walk the streets at night without being attacked in this fashion.

‘This was a very serious attack with serious consequences for your victim.

‘I have to do my public duty. A strong element of public protection must take priority.’

Prosecuting, Theresa Thorp, told the court the victim was certain she was going to be raped by Jones.

She said: ‘She had been working and made her way to her friend’s house on foot.

‘She was on a footpath when she heard a car pull up behind her. She saw that it was a red car and it was the defendant in that car. She did not know him so kept walking.

‘Suddenly she heard the defendant running up behind her. He grabbed her from behind with both arms.

‘He placed his left hand between her legs and felt her over her clothes. Luckily she was wearing jeans.

‘Her first thoughts were that he was going to rape her. She screamed loudly and he put his hand over her mouth.

‘They fell to the ground and struggled and she bit him on the hand. She describes her teeth hurting the following day because she but him so hard.

‘He got off her, returned to his car and drove off. Her top was covered in blood and her jacket was too. That was forensically analysed and that blood was confirmed to be the defendant’s.

‘She is very scared of going out after 8pm and makes sure she isn’t caught on her own again.’

The court heard Jones, from Coventry, had a long list of previous convictions but none of a sexual nature.

John Evans, defending, said: ‘The impact on the victim must have been absolutely devastating. Mr Jones is fully aware of that.

‘There’s nothing within his record to suggest offending of this type is in his nature.’

Speaking after the case, Detective Sergeant Jim Edmonds, from West Midlands Police, said: ‘The victim showed great courage to fight back and did exactly the right thing in contacting police immediately so we were able to seize all forensic opportunities.

‘She told how she’d bitten the man during the struggle so we sent her clothing off for fast-track forensic analysis.

‘That revealed a tiny drop of blood on the back of her jacket and allowed us to make a swift arrest.

‘When we arrested the suspect he was found with a bandaged finger which he claimed had been caused by trapping it in a car door.

‘It had been fractured and needed pins inserting to correct it so she’d certainly bitten down hard.

‘And once presented with the DNA evidence he realised he had no reasonable explanation for the presence of his blood and quickly changed his story.’

– Daily Mail