A “DANGEROUS” man snapped the tendons in a woman’s hand as he twice tried to sexually assault her as she walked home at night.

Nicu-Constantin Ursachi was jailed for eight years last week following the violent, sexually motived attacks in Hereford.

The 30-year-old had attempted to sexually assault the woman in Barrs Court Road after midnight on June 18, 2015.

The victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, suffered snapped tendons in her fingers, was thrown to the ground, had her head smashed against a wall and at one point hid from her attacker in a bush.

The judge said it was a reflection of how hard the victim had fought back that she did not suffer a serious sexual assault.

Uraschi, 30, of Broomfield Walk, Saxon Gate, Hereford, showed no emotion as he was jailed at Worcester Crown Court.

The defendant had previously admitted committing an offence (assault occasioning actual bodily harm) with intent to commit a sexual offence.

He also admitted committing a further offence with intent to commit a sexual offence.

Anna Midgley, defending, described the attack as ‘utterly out of character’.

She said: “He is somebody who is failing to reconcile to himself that he has let himself and society down so catastrophically.”

The judge, Nicolas Cartwright QC, found that Ursachi was ‘dangerous’ and extended his prison sentence to reflect the threat he posed.

He said: “You were in her face and she told you to go away.

“Your response was to grab her by the t-shirt and throw her to the ground. You undid the button of her jeans. She was struggling underneath you and tried to get you off. She succeeded in doing so.”

However, the victim came across the defendant again unexpectedly a few minutes later and he accosted her for a second time.

Judge Cartwright said: “You grabbed her by the hair and put her to the ground again, causing her to bang her head on the wall.

“You put your foot on her thigh, holding her down. She again managed to get away and hid in a bush.”

Her injuries included scratches to her neck and abdomen, a graze to the back of her head and snapped tendons in her fingers which required physiotherapy.

Judge Cartwright said: “The assault was on a lone woman walking at night by a complete stranger.

“She will never forget the incident and has been much affected psychologically by it.

“Only the fact she fought back prevented you from committing a more serious sexual offence.”