A man has been jailed for attempting to rape a teenage girl in Dartford.

Andrew Hamilton Cooke admitted the offence, as well as sexual assault and indecent exposure, when he appeared at Maidstone Crown Court.

He followed a 15-year-old girl as she walked along Heath Road on May 13.

She lost sight of him until she walked through Dartford Heath and saw him urinating in a bush.

The 27-year-old asked her “Have you got a fella?”, but she ignored him and continued walking.

Cooke, of the town’s Dunlop Close,then approached her from behind, inappropriately touched her and attempted to pull up her skirt.

When she tried to get away, he grabbed her by the arm.

Cooke, who was still exposed, then grabbed his victim by the back of her head and attempted to push her down towards him.

He only let her go after being disturbed by another walker.

Nine days later, the victim saw Cooke in Dartford Park and called the police, who arrested him.

Cooke was later identified as a suspect for a similar crime last August.

An 18-year-old woman was walking in the Darenth Road area when she noticed a man urinating in a bush.

She then became aware he was following her, before he touched her inappropriately.

Cooke’s victim walked away and when she thought he had disappeared she sat on a bench.

“Cooke committed serious offences against two young women" - Kent Police detective inspector Ivan Beasley

But he soon appeared and indecently exposed himself, before she ran away.

Detectives carried out further enquiries after Cooke’s arrest in May and he was later charged with indecent exposure and sexual assault.

He has now been jailed for five years.

Investigating officer, detective inspector Ivan Beasley, said: “Cooke committed serious offences against two young women and I am pleased he will now spend a significant amount of time behind bars.

“I hope this sentence reassures the community that we will continue to work hard to identify offenders of crimes no matter how long ago they took place, and will bring offenders to justice before the courts.”