A fiend who trawled the internet for rape sex sites before carrying out an attack on a teen has been locked up to protect the public.

Gardener Murray Fairweather, 32, was arrested after chasing the girl into Holly Lane, Canterbury - and terrifying her so much she tried to throw herself off a bridge.

Now a judge has ruled Fairweather is so dangerous he passed an indeterminate jail sentence.

He will serve a minimum of 33 months before being considered for release.

But Judge James O'Mahony told Fairweather that will only happened when he is no longer viewed as a risk.

Fairweather's victim sat just a few feet from her attacker in court as he was led away to begin his jail sentence.

DI Nick Green said after the hearing: "She is still receiving counselling and is frightened to walk out alone but she wanted to come to court to see him sentenced."

The girl had been walking near New House Lane into Holly Lane towards Canterbury in September last year when she spotted the sinister Fairweather staring at her.

She told a jury at Canterbury Crown Court: "He made me feel very uneasy and uncomfortable as I was on my own. I began walking faster.

"Later I heard a load of footsteps and saw the man. His face was covered with a balaclava - he was running fast towards me. I was frightened and then an instinct came to me that I had to run."

The girl told how she heard him shout "Stop" and "Shut up".

"I was screaming and shouting 'help' and swinging round my bag," she added.

Fairweather of Shaftesbury Road changed his pleas halfway through his trial and admitted common assault on the teenager and carrying out the assault intending to commit a sexual offence.

He had earlier admitted eight charges of downloading child pornography.

Prosecutor John O'Higgins revealed when Fairweather's computer was examined, experts discovered he had searched the internet for "rape victim stories", "rape stories", "rape survivor stories".

He also had Googled for "rape forensic" details - just a week before the attack, along with "saliva dna forensic".

The victim was rescued after she ran towards a bridge, planning to jump off, when a passing driver stopped to help.

Two other people, who saw the distressed teenager, went in search of her attacker and spotted Fairweather's car and took the registration number.

The judge told him his victim had gone through "a complete nightmare" and had been so terrified she was prepared to jump off a bridge onto the busy A2 to escape her attacker.

Fairweather had been stopped by an officer after the attack but due to a police mix-up had been allowed to drive away - and an enquiry was ordered.

DI Green said new procedures had since been introduced to ensure no repeat of the mistake.