A BRUTAL sex attacker targeted a terrified blind woman and forced his way inside her home before savagely assaulting her and trying to rape her.

She desperately screamed for help as he shoved what he claimed was a knife against her throat, demanded cash and violently pushed her to the floor, a court heard.

It was the "kind of attack which every lone, single woman dreads", the court was told.

Philippe Bampi, 30, of Vere Terrace, Grimsby, admitted attempted rape and sexual assault on August 26.

Jeremy Evans, prosecuting, told Grimsby Crown Court that the vulnerable young woman was registered as blind and had very limited vision.

Bampi knocked on the door of the woman's home after 9.26pm and pretended to be looking for a man called Andy.

He would have been able to see that there was a guide dog present and that she had serious sight problems, claimed Mr Evans.

Bampi later returned and again asked if Andy was there before putting his foot in the door and barging his way in. He asked her if she lived alone.

"He reached in, pushed the door open, grabbed her by the throat and pushed her in to the hallway," said Mr Evans.

"She was terrified and began to scream out. Her intention was to alert her next door neighbour. Her guide dog was scared and retreated upstairs.

"He pushed her to the floor with such force that her slippers came off. He held an item to her throat, telling her it was a knife and that he wasn't afraid to use it."

The sharp metal object he held to her neck was thought to be keys. He demanded money and told her he would hurt her. He sexually assaulted her and she was fighting him, trying to push him off her. She screamed and he tried to cover her mouth with his hand. He later fled from the house.

The attack had left "devastating emotional effects" on the woman. She had being having trouble sleeping, was suffering nightmares and was on medication. She had to have relatives living with her for support, was afraid to go out and even her dog had begun barking at the slightest noise.

Bampi was traced from DNA on her pyjamas.

Judge David Tremberg told Bampi: "You had identified the complainant as being vulnerable and being a soft target for any attack. You returned to her address and, after satisfying yourself that she was alone, you forced your way in to her home and detained her against her will.

"You treated her with force and violence, and the threat of violence. You claimed you had a knife and subjected her to the kind of attack which every lone, single woman dreads. You caused serious sexual harm to her.

"Your unfortunate victim was nearly blind. You, by your brutish actions, devastated her life and her confidence and her ability to live independently."

Judge Tremberg branded Bampi a "dangerous" offender who was a significant risk of causing serious harm to the public.

Bampi was jailed for six years and will be on extended licence of four years after his release from prison. He was ordered to register as a sex offender for life and will be banned from working with children.

He asked for three offences of sending indecent or obscene telephone messages or texts to two girls on June 12, July 13 and July 15 to be considered.

The victim of the attempted rape is understood to have left the area and is too distraught to talk about her ordeal publicly.