THE petty thief responsible for a rape that shocked a North Yorkshire community was today starting seven years behind bars, thanks to the victim's courage and an innovative DNA technique.

Andrew John Bailey's sex attack on a 20-year-old stranger in Selby's Flaxley Road last February was so brutal it has left her terrified to leave her home and affected her studies, York Crown Court heard.

But she found the courage to give evidence against him and was in court to hear a jury unanimously convict him of raping her twice. Bailey, of Tennant Street, Selby had previously admitted indecently assaulting her.

"You left her naked, covered in injuries, hysterical and sobbing, with very unpleasant injuries," Judge David Bentley QC told him. "So troubled were you by what you had done that having carried out this dreadful assault, you then made off up the street and stole a bike.

"You have shown not an ounce of remorse for what you did. As rapes go, this was a very bad rape. A good deal of violence was used."

He jailed Bailey, who had denied the two rape charges, for seven years and put him on the sex offenders' register for life.

During the case, the jury heard evidence from an innovative DNA technique which has only been used once before in England.

He also commended nine police officers for their work that led to Bailey's arrest just two days after the attack.

Before she left court, the victim thanked prosecution barrister David Bradshaw and three of the commended police officers. Det Sgt Dave Pegg said afterwards the victim was delighted with the verdicts and satisfied with the sentence.

During the five-day trial, the jury heard how Bailey ran up behind the woman as she was walking home at 2.15am on February 1 from a night out with friends, punched her to the ground, sexually attacked her in the street, then dragged her into a nearby garden, and raped her twice, hitting her when she tried to call for help.

Only when she managed to scream as she heard voices approaching did he run off, taking her mobile phone with him.

After the verdict, Mr Bradshaw revealed that Bailey had a long record for theft, criminal damage and car crime.

DC Simon Dixon, officer in the case, paid tribute to the many people in the Flaxley Road area who helped police, forensic scientists and others for their part in bringing Bailey to justice.

Updated: 09:24 Saturday, July 10, 2004