Man jailed for sex attack on girl

A man has been jailed for eight years for indecently assaulting a 13-year-old girl after meeting her on a train.

Robert Osbourne, 24, persuaded the girl and her 23-year-old friend to get off at King's Cross and then attacked her in a car park.

The Old Bailey heard he half-strangled her and ripped off jewellery.

Osbourne, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to indecent assault and a charge of robbery and was jailed for eight years.

Threat to kill

On Wednesday Judge Kenneth Machin told Osbourne: "You left her for dead... a quite terrifying experience for a girl of her age."

The teenager was on a train from Brighton to London with her friend in July 2003 when Osbourne befriended them.

When they arrived, Osbourne took them to a car park and threatened to kill the girl if her friend tried to run off.

Osbourne wrapped his arm around his victim's neck and sexually assaulted her.

She passed out, but managed to escape when she came round.

Andrew Jefferies, defending, said the attack had not been premeditated and that Osbourne's 14 previous convictions had been related to his drug addiction.