'Danger to society': Care assistant feared death as man placed hand over her mouth and punched her head

A man has been jailed for almost 10 years after attacking a care assistant so violently she feared she would die.

Rory Griffin, 39, approached the victim at a secure institution in Cambridgeshire, when she was sitting alone on a bench wearing headphones during a break on 28 April 2019.

She became aware of Griffin, a patient, at her side before he suddenly grabbed her and dragged her off the bench.

Griffin placed his hand over her mouth and began punching her to the head while continuing to drag her along.

Griffin then grabbed her by the foot and dragged her backwards towards some bushes before stopping.

The care assistant once again tried to crawl away but Griffin got hold of her and choked her on the ground while shouting he was going to kill her.

A colleague arrived and pushed Griffin off the victim and pinned him to the ground while she escaped.

She was taken to hospital after suffering scratches to her arms and neck in the struggle.

On Monday (13 March), at Cambridge Crown Court, Griffin, of HMP Wakefield, West Yorkshire, was sentenced to nine years and 11 months in prison, having pleaded guilty to actual bodily harm, assault with intent to commit a sexual offence and threats to kill.

DC Natalie Marriott said: “Griffin is truly a danger to society so I am glad he is now behind bars.

“This was an incredibly scary and harrowing ordeal for the victim who was just minding her own business on a break at the time and later said she thought he was trying to kill her.”