A 17-year-old who strangled and raped a woman in an "horrific" attack as she walked across Clapham Common has been jailed for six-and-a-half years.

Anton Harriott was just 16 when he attacked the 28-year-old, who was taking a shortcut home in the early hours of July 9, last year.

The victim had spent the night out with friends, but heard someone approaching on a bike as she made her way to Clapham South underground station at 2am.

She started to run away, telling the persistent young offender to take her bag, but he got off his bike and followed the victim on foot, wearing bandanas to hide his face.

Inner London Crown Court heard how the 16-year-old shoved her to the ground and throttled her. She tried to escape while he was undressing, but he caught her and committed the rape.

The jury was told Harriott, of Cedars Road, Clapham, then left his victim lying on the ground with her cardigan pulled over her head, and warned her not to look back.

The woman, who is receiving specialist help to recover from the assault, spoke from behind a screen and told the jury how the ordeal had lasted 20 minutes.

She said: "He grabbed me round the neck from behind. He dragged me down to the floor, he was strangling me so hard I was choking. I thought I was going to die."

"I didn't scream, I didn't cry, I was in complete shock. The whole attack lasted about 20 minutes - it seemed like a lifetime."

After the assualt she waited for Harriott to disappear before running to The Avenue, where a passing taxi driver took her to the police station.

The rapist was arrested just eight days later, with police able to use DNA evidence because no condom had been used in the attack. Despite the strong evidence, Harriott pleaded not guilty to the charges of rape, sexual assault and robbery. During police interviews he answered no comment', before claiming the victim had approached him first and consented to sex.

It also emerged Harriott had racked up a string of previous convictions for violent offences, including three muggings.

A jury found him guilty of rape and sexual assault, but not guilty of robbery. He will now serve his time at a young offenders' institution.

Following sentencing last Friday, Detective Constable Barry Smith from Wandsworth's Sapphire Unit said: "Throughout this case, Anton Harriott has shown no remorse for the horrific ordeal he put his victim through. It was an inexcusable, and premeditated sexual attack on a lone female who had been making her way home.

"Our thoughts and admiration go out to his victim, who despite being subjected to the most harrowing of ordeals, has displayed tremendous courage in reporting the crime, and by placing her trust and confidence in the police resulted in Harriott's sentencing."