A man who subjected a woman to an horrific sex attack has been jailed after her screams for him to stop were recorded on an audio tape outside the pub.

Sex attacker Mark Atherton assaulted the woman in her 40s, outside the Tardy Gate pub, on Brownedge Lane, Lostock Hall on New Year's Eve.

Atherton had first met the woman in the pub earlier on in the evening, and when she left the pub just after midnight he followed her outside.

The court heard police investigating the attack obtained audio evidence from the surveillance system of a neighbour.

The defendant initially insisted the victim had given consent, but decided to change his story when the tape was played to him.

Atherton, 46, of The Lilacs, Bee Lane, Penwortham, pleaded guilty to two serious sexual offences.

His barrister Mark Stephenson said Atherton was appalled by his behaviour and he had no previous convictions for sex offences.

Judge Andrew Gilbart QC sentenced Atherton to a total of three years and four months in prison and placed him on the sex offenders register for life.

The Judge described the incident as a painful and violent experience.

Detective Sergeant John Cass said: "The circumstances of this case were particularly brutal and the victim had some horrendous injuries.

"Atherton had been pestering a number of women in the pub during the evening before he finally latched on to the victim.

"He then took advantage of the condition she was in and subjected her to the most brutal attack that's occurred in this area for a very long time."

Detective Cass added that good police work on the day led to the arrest of Atherton and commended the victim for supporting the police with their inquiries and subsequent prosecution.