An “evil” brute who grabbed a woman around the throat before sexually assaulting her has been jailed for eight years.

The woman, who has a lung condition, had broken down in court when describing how Andrew Hannifin squeezed her neck and told her she would die a “painful, horrible, death”.

She described the “evilness” in Hannifin’s eyes and said she believed she would be killed.

A recorded video police interview after the attack in which she wept was played to a jury of nine men and three women at Maidstone Crown Court.

Her trial had to be halted twice after she broke down while describing her ordeal, which happened in Gravesend.

The victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, said she struggled to breathe when Hannifin, 57, put his hands tightly around her neck.

He then sexually assaulted her, despite her begging him to stop.

Hannifin, formerly from Gravesend but now living in Newmarket, Suffolk, denied assault by penetration and assault causing actual bodily harm, but was convicted.

The woman told police that as soon as she saw Hannifin - who changed his name from Driver by deed poll - in January she knew “by his eyes” there would be trouble.

“The evilness that was there was unreal,” she said.

She said Hannifin tried to kiss her but she kept pushing him away. He then threatened to kill her.

“He put his hands really tight around my neck and kept squeezing and squeezing on my Adam’s apple,” she continued.

“I was begging him to let go because I wasn’t breathing properly. He did let go but kept saying he was going to kill me.”

Hannifin pulled down one side of the woman’s leggings and sexually assaulted her.

“I was screaming and begging him to stop and kept pushing him away,” she said. “But he was holding me with one arm.

“He stopped and when he got up I realised his belt and trousers were undone. He must have had it planned he was going to rape me or something. I was so frightened he was going to kill me.

“He said: ‘Look at me, because I am telling you that you are going to die a real, real, painful, horrible death - and that I can promise you.’ ”

The woman suffered bruising and marks to her neck and arm.

Judge Jeremy Carey told Hannifin he had been convicted on the “clearest evidence”, adding: “You were demonstrably a wholly unreliable witness in material respects.

‘Look at me, because I am telling you that you are going to die a real, real, painful, horrible death - and that I can promise you’ - Hannafin, during the attack

“The verdicts come as no surprise and it will not be a surprise to you, although you will continue to protest your innocence.

“You inflicted on her the most appalling, degrading and frightening experience.”

In his partially intoxicated and befuddled state, Hannifin degraded the woman by sexually assaulting her in the brutish way she described.

“The impact on her has been devastating,” said the judge.

“She was a lady who was already suffering from a severe physical condition and she has been deeply, and likely permanently, traumatised by this criminal activity.

“There has been considerable psychological harm caused to this lady. I recognise you have your own mental health difficulties, although they have limited impact on the length of the sentence.”

Judge Carey made a restraining order banning Hannifin from contacting the victim.

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