Stag night sex attacker convicted

Bournemouth Crown Court was shown CCTV footage of Louis Palmer, 33, following his 30-year-old victim through the seaside town before the sex attack.

Palmer, of Brierley Hill, West Midlands, went on to marry his fiancee Amanda Conway, who burst into tears when her husband was found guilty, jailed and ordered to sign the sex offenders' register.

Palmer was out with friends in Bournemouth, Dorset, when he became separated from the group at 4am on July 5 last year.

The victim told Bournemouth Crown Court that he grabbed hold of her, pushed her against a wall and sexually assaulted her before punching her in the face.

Palmer, a builder, was arrested the next day and he told the trial that he thought the encounter was going to be a "five second fumble" and he had hit his victim because she became "hysterical".

Detective Sergeant Phil Swanton, of Dorset Police, said: "This was a despicable attack on a lone female and I am pleased with the verdict.

"Palmer stalked the victim for just under a mile before attacking her and is clearly a very dangerous sexual predator."

Palmer was given a seven-year jail term and ordered by Judge Roger Jarvis to sign the sex offenders' register.