A "dangerous" man who tried to rape a woman in Barking has been jailed for five years and seven months.

Lutzim Gaxha was sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Monday, December 7 after pleading guilty to a charge of attempted rape.

The 27-year-old, of no fixed address, is expected to be deported upon his release.

Det Con Chris Maxim, from the Met’s East Area serious sexual offences unit, said: “This is a great outcome, not only for the victim of this harrowing incident but also for the wider community as a whole.

"We can all feel reassured that a dangerous predatory offender, who took advantage of a vulnerable individual walking home alone, is now safely where he belongs."

The woman spotted Gaxha following her while she was on her way to the shops in Barking town centre at about 11.40pm on April 30.

The victim, who is also 27, crossed the road and spoke to a security guard at Barking train station.

She told him a man was following her and offering her money to go home with him.

The security guard walked with the victim towards the high street to check if the man was still following her and to make sure she was okay.

At this point there was no sight of Gaxha so, believing he had stopped following her, the woman started to walk home.

Minutes into her walk, Gaxha reappeared so she rang the police and told them where she was.

But Gaxha then dragged her into a bush where he attempted to rape her.

He ran off after the police arrived just as the victim and Gaxha were coming out of the bushes.

Gaxha was detained and arrested for suspicion of sexual assault by officers after footage from CCTV showed him running along a nearby road.

The CCTV led to his being identified because he was wearing the same clothes at the time of the attempted rape.

Gaxha was also ordered to pay a £190 victim surcharge and is to remain on the sex offenders register for an indefinite period.