A courageous schoolgirl helped police observe down a intercourse offender by taking a photograph of him after she managed to push him off throughout a horror assault. Alexandra Muresan was simply 15 years outdated when she was assaulted by Nathan Rawson as she made her strategy to faculty in Leeds, West Yorks, in February 2019.
Fearing she could be 'killed or raped', the quick-thinking teen took photos of the knife-wielding predator - which later helped authorities deliver him to justice. The photographs, which present Rawson standing in a discipline on a misty winter morning, have been circulated by West Yorkshire Police as a part of an attraction - finally resulting in his arrest.
Alexandra, now 19, has now obtained a police bravery award from her actions, which led to Rawson being sentenced to 13 years in jail. The hero teen stated that whereas she was a ‘little bit scared’ to exit by herself following the assault, it has really now ‘boosted her confidence’, the Mirror reviews.
She stated: “When he got here in the direction of me, I noticed the deal with of his knife and I simply grabbed it and began pulling.
“There was simply a lot adrenaline - my entire physique was shaking. I don’t know why - it’s what got here to thoughts right away and I simply did it.
“I did rugby for 2 years, so I managed to get it off him finally.”
Rawson pressured Alexandra right into a woodland space after grabbing her by the waist and threatening her with a knife. The teenager stated her instincts to struggle instantly kicked in and he or she was capable of snatch the knife from him, slicing her hand within the course of.
She then took out her telephone and snapped photos of Rawson earlier than he fled the scene, at which level Alexandra referred to as an ambulance for her injured hand. The photographs she took helped officers establish Rawson, who was given an prolonged sentence of 13 years and eight months at Leeds Crown Courtroom final Might.
He pleaded responsible to kidnapping, wounding, possession of an offensive weapon and two unrelated counts of housebreaking. Rawson additionally has a earlier conviction for sexually assaulting a girl throughout the same offence dedicated in February 2016, when he adopted his sufferer by the streets.
Alexandra stated: “I don’t even know the best way to describe how I felt after it occurred. It’s not likely one thing you expertise day by day.
“My mum and pa have been clearly actually anxious about me, however they did the whole lot they may to assist. They needed to take me to remedy, however I’m not the sort of individual to speak quite a bit and go to remedy.
“At first, I used to be a little bit bit scared to exit on my own, however on the identical time, as I grew older, it sort of boosted my confidence.”
Alexandra obtained her certificates of bravery from West Yorkshire Police within the Leeds District Awards. She stated: “It was a pleasant evening - but it surely was nerve-wracking, since you needed to go onstage and accumulate your award in entrance of everybody.”
Her certificates learn: “In recognition of your courageous actions on fifteenth February 2019 when confronted by a male who tried to abduct you at knifepoint. You managed to disarm the person regardless of sustaining a knife wound and obtained pictures of him in your telephone which led to the swift apprehension of the offender.”
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