A NORTH Yorkshire man has been jailed for almost seven years after he falsely imprisoned and sexually assaulted a woman.

David Matthews, formerly of Manor Barn, Ripon, pleaded guilty to charges including false imprisonment, sexual assault and attempted rape, following an incident last October.

The court heard Matthews, 50, told the victim he “just wanted a cuddle”, before he tied her hands and feet and cut her clothes off with a craft knife, then sexually assaulted her.

The Recorder of York, Stephen Ashurst, told Matthews: “She genuinely thought that she was about to die and you enjoyed her obvious distress and fear. Your behaviour was cruel in the extreme.”

Matthews was sentenced to six years and eight months imprisonment.