Knife wielding man rugby tackled woman to ground and threatened to rape her

A woman aged in her 50s from Surrey, was walking along the South West Coast path just outside Lyme Regis when she heard a man running toward her from behind at approximately 3pm on Saturday, August 29, 2020.

Bournemouth Crown Court heard how Vytautas Ausrota, aged 30 and of Plymouth, approached the victim and rugby tackled her to the ground and knelt on top of her. The victim saw he was holding a orange penknife with the blade out.

The defendant threatened to kill the woman, telling her ‘I will kill you’ and said he wanted sex.

Moments later, two members of the public approached and the victim asked them for help. They told Ausrota they would call the police if he did not get off her.

The defendant got up and left the scene. Police were contacted and a search of the area was launched.

'Remorseful' Ausrota reported himself to police

Vytautas Ausrota, 30, pinned a woman to the ground on the South West Coast Path near Lyme Regis and threatened to sexually assault her. Picture: Dorset Police

After 8.08pm, a ‘remorseful’ Ausrota called Dorset Police and admitted that he had attacked a woman in Lyme Regis and officers were looking for him. He was arrested in Broad Street and arrested.

Ausrota pleaded guilty to threatening with an offensive weapon, committing an offence with the intent to commit a sexual offence and assault by beating.

Mitigating, Timothy Bradbury, said that Ausrota was ‘intoxicated’ and also battled mental health issues, which clouded his judgement. He also told the court Ausrota regretted his actions and reported himself to the police.

He said: "He is a young man, with no previous convictions and never behaved in this matter before.

He added: “He wishes he never acted like that. He doesn’t know how she can forgive him or how he can forgive himself.

“He can do the next best thing which is to address his mental health and continue to ensure he doesn’t get to those depths of disrepair which contributed to what caused those acts.

'You made that lady frightened for her safety' - Judge's remarks as Ausrota jailed 

Bournemouth Crown Court

Sentencing, Judge Foster QC, acknowledge that while Ausrota regretted his actions, he noted how the 'frightened' victim had later ‘broken down in shock and disbelief’ and feared for her safety.

He said: “A lady was walking on part of the South West Coast path near to Lyme Regis.

“As such, she was a vulnerable person when she came back from a walk, she saw you sitting on a bench.

“You took your opportunity, you rugby tackled her to the ground. You then straddled her, climbed on her, placing your knees over her thighs.

“She tried to push you away, at the time you were handling an orange handled object which had a knife. You said, ‘I will kill you’.

“There is some certainly to what you then said but you seemed to be wanting sex by asking her if she wanted sex.

“You made that lady frightened for her safety. She was in a desperate position in a quiet place with you on top of her and saying such things.”

Ausrota was sentenced to a total of three years and four months in prison and made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for an indefinite period. Ausrota was also ordered to pay a £190 victim surcharge.

Following the case, Judge Foster paid tribute to the victim’s ‘courage and ‘the way she dealt with the situation', as well as the members of the public who came to her aid.

Detective Constable Stuart Dalladay, of Western CID, said: “Ausrota subjected his victim to a truly horrifying ordeal, taking advantage of her as she was out walking alone.

“I would like to praise the victim for the courage she has shown in supporting our investigation and I am glad that we have been able to bring this dangerous offender to justice.”