A YOUNG man has been jailed for trying to rape a teenage girl shortly after he had watched "50 Shades of Grey".

Declan Goodby's actions so terrified the girl she "froze" and was unable to speak or to carry out her intention of punching him with her clenched fists, said Andrew Semple, prosecuting.

Judge Andrew Stubbs QC said, after reading psychiatric and probation reports on Goodby, now 18: "You show troubling attitudes towards women and how they can and should be treated".

He also read a victim impact statement from the girl describing how Goodby's crimes were continuing to affect her and had harmed her confidence and her ability to form relationships.

He sent Goodby to a young offenders' institution for 27 months, put him on the sex offenders' register for ten years and made a sexual harm prevention order banning him from having any contact with the girl for life.

Mr Semple said there had never been any sexual relationship between Goodby and the girl.

Goodby, of Thornton-le-Dale, pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting the girl and attempting to rape her. He committed the offences shortly before his 17th birthday. He cried in the dock at York Crown Court as Mr Semple described what he had done to her.

The judge told him: "You used her for your own sexual gratification."

For Goodby, solicitor advocate David Camidge said: "He has particular difficulties and lacks maturity. He has shown remorse."

The psychiatric report did not show any underlying issues that could indicate that Goodby would escalate his sexual behaviour or re-offend, he said.

Goodby had had a difficult childhood, but was doing well in the social services establishment where he was now based.

The judge reduced the sentence because Goodby had been 16 at the time he committed the offences.