An overseas student described by a judge as a "really decent young man" has been jailed for three years for attacking a Bradford prostitute.

Aderogba Adeymi, 27, grabbed the woman's throat in a dark and desolate side street off Sunbridge Road after they had agreed a price for sex back in June.

The victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, managed to fight Adeymi off before running to a passing car for help.

She made a complaint to police and the defendant was arrested and picked out on a video identification parade. Adeymi, of Drayton Road, Norwich, had denied that he was the attacker but was convicted by a jury of sexual assault at a trial last month.

Judge Roger Scott sitting at Bradford Crown Court was told that Adeymi, who had been studying at Bradford College, had now confessed to a probation officer that he had committed the offence.

Passing sentence Judge Scott told him that it was a pity he had not pleaded guilty earlier as he would have had his sentence reduced by a third.

Adeymi, originally from Nigeria, was described by the judge as "one of the nicest witnesses" he had seen and "polite to the extreme".

"I think he's a really decent young man and I'm sorry that I have to sentence him today, but I have got my job to do," Judge Scott said.

Ordering Adeymi to sign on the sex offender's register for life he added: "The actual offence was going towards an offence of attempted rape.

"It took place in an area where this prostitute worked, a dark and desolate and dangerous area.

"I have no doubt that, thick skinned though you have to be as a prostitute working on the streets, she would have been scared and she reported it to the authorities pretty quickly. Of its type this was quite a nasty offence."

Judge Scott said that he would not be making a recommendation for Adeymi to be deported but added that the Home Office may look at the situation.

After the case, Detective Sergeant Ajaz Khan, who led the investigation, said it was a nasty attack which must have been terrifying for the victim. He added: "We always deal with cases such as this sensitively. The victim has been brave throughout her ordeal and her evidence has helped us to secure this conviction."