A MAN from Bradford has been jailed for raping a woman after she left a party.

Leeds Crown Court heard Daniel Peter Firth was caught by the police still holding his victim after a resident heard her cries.

Philip Standfast, prosecuting, told the court the 21-year-old woman had decided to leave the party in the early hours of March 18.

She did not have enough money for a taxi and decided to walk home.

Soon after leaving, Firth spoke to her and tried to persuade her to go back to the party, in Huddersfield, where he had also been earlier.

He kissed her and initially she responded but then she stopped and said they should not be doing that as she remembered he said he had a girlfriend.

He then pulled her towards him and started touching her bottom and thighs.

She tried to push him away but he ripped some of her clothing and forced her to the ground, and then raped her.

She told him to get off her and said she did not want sex with him but he ignored her.

At one stage she tried to get up but lost her balance and banged her head.

She was shouting and he put his hand over her mouth to silence her while he continued to attack her.

He then ripped more of her clothing and threw her glasses away.

“By this time she was losing her strength,” said Mr Standfast.

Meanwhile a resident in the area had heard someone shouting “Don’t do this” and “I don’t want to do this” and had phoned the police.

One of the first officers to arrive heard the woman calling out and found Firth still lying on top of her, “pinning her down”.

He pulled Firth off. The victim was hysterical, the court was told.

Firth was then aggressive to the officer, threatening to rape his wife, and kicked the police car as he was taken into custody.

Mohammed Nawaz, representing Firth, said: “On any view this was a shocking offence and the defendant is at a complete loss to explain it himself.”

Since fracturing his skull in a fall and having a metal plate fitted in 2007, he usually abstained from alcohol but had drunk too much that day, the court heard.

Firth, 26, a baker of Stonyhurst Square, Holme Wood, Bradford, admitted rape and damage.

Firth was jailed for seven years and two months.

Recorder Mark McKone said he accepted Firth was normally a hard-working man.

But he said that the woman had repeatedly said no to him.