Attacker jailed for sexual assault of jogger

A man who dragged, choked and sexually assaulted a jogger in St Mary’s Bay in Auckland has been sentenced to four years and three months in jail.

Avin Ivory Lock, from Henderson, previously pleaded guilty to assault with intent to commit sexual violation.

On May 11, a woman was jogging on a track alongside the northern motorway, heading towards Auckland’s central city, when the 33-year-old grabbed her and dragged her into some bushes.

He then choked her and began sexually assaulting her.

A passing cyclist went to help after seeing Lock’s naked bottom and hearing the victim’s muffled screams.

The cyclist then chased the fleeing offender and the victim scaled a 3-metre-high fence to get away.

On May 15, police released CCTV footage and Lock was taken in to custody three days later.

On Thursday, Judge Russell Collins sentenced Lock to four years and three months imprisonment at the Auckland District Court.

The crown prosecutor told the court that Lock tackled and pinned the victim in a way that she had no way to defend herself.

The victim, whose identity is suppressed, has lived in New Zealand in five years and is married to a Kiwi.

After the attack, she suffered from concussion and nerve damage in her hand, shoulder and arm.

Adam Holland, on behalf of Lock, said he fully accepted his actions on that day were ‘‘atrocious’’.