An ice hockey player who left a woman fearing she was going to die during a sex attack has been jailed.

Colin Grimason, 26, has been sentenced to four years in prison for the abuse in Dumfries in May last year.

Grimason, who played for Irish side Belfast Prowlers, was in the town at the time for a tournament and went to a nightclub after playing in a competition.

After leaving, he met his victim, 27, who had lost her friends. They chatted and initially kissed but she warned him off sex.

However, Grimason went on to pull her into an alleyway, grabbed her neck and throttled her. She was sexually assaulted and ended up on the ground.

Lord Armstrong told Grimason: "You have been convicted of a particularly serious sexual attack on an unsuspecting young woman, who was unknown to you, and you inflicted serious internal injuries on her.

"You actions have had a significant impact of her life. This is a grave crime from which all women should be protected."

His victim said: "What happened to me was a vicious and violating attack.

"It has been hard to process that another human being would inflict such pain and devastation upon me.

"Why a stranger chose to assault me in such a way is something that will stay with me forever.

"Receiving justice for my attack has been a long and excruciating process.

"Hearing my attacker's version of events as he took the stand in court was incredibly infuriating and saddening. He denied responsibility for the assault and for the brutal injuries he caused me.

"Moving on, that is the part that will haunt and torment me, that he showed no remorse for what he did."

Grimason was placed on the sex offenders register and showed no emotion as he was led away to start his sentence.