A MAN who attacked a heavily pregnant teenager while holding her against her will has been jailed for four years.

Ryan Daniel Elsworth, 21, of Hilton Square, Brompton, Northallerton, punched, kicked and smeared dog excrement over the face of the woman, who was 16 at the time, leaving her covered in bruises and with a cut, bleeding face.

He was imprisoned at Teesside Crown Court after pleading guilty to assaulting and unlawfully and injuriously imprisoning the woman and detaining her against her will.

Detective Constable Sarah Campbell of North Yorkshire Police’s Protecting Vulnerable Persons Unit, said he had committed a disturbing and sustained assault, which had had a lasting effect on the victim, leaving her living in fear for both herself and her baby.

“By pleading guilty, Elsworth has at least spared her the distress of re-living the ordeal through a crown court trial," she said.

“The victim found it very hard to come forward and report what had happened to her.

“I hope the sentence handed out to Elsworth allows the victim to move on with her life and also gives other victims the confidence to come forward to the police in the knowledge that the police and criminal justice service will take their report seriously and do everything they can to bring the perpetrators to justice.”