‘Long jail term’ for attacker

Feb 14 2008 by Sam Wonfor, The Journal

A SEX attacker who targeted two female strangers in separate assaults months apart has been warned he faces years behind bars.

Daniel Tsegay attempted to rape his first victim, aged 42, after dragging her into an alleyway in Blandford Square in Newcastle city centre in May last year.

He struck again three months later when he indecently assaulted an 18-year-old woman after grabbing hold of her as she walked near Marlborough Crescent.

Tsegay, 29, of Diana Street, Newcastle, had denied attempted rape and sexual assault, disputing the DNA profiling taken from the first victim and claiming the second victim had consented.

But he was convicted on both counts yesterday after a trial at Newcastle Crown Court and remanded in custody after sentence was adjourned for probation service and sex offender unit reports.

Judge Beatrice Bolton told Tsegay: “You must understand that the inevitable sentence is custody and it will be a very lengthy custodial sentence.”