A TEENAGER held a knife to a woman’s throat and threatened to kill her, before demanding she perform a sex act on him.

Matthew Webb was just 17 when he subjected the woman to the horrific attack on July 29 last year.

On Monday, he pleaded guilty to rape and was sentenced to five years in prison at Bolton Crown Court by Judge Maureen Roddy, who told him: “It was an act of a coward.”

The court heard that Webb and the woman, who works as a prostitute, were in Shifnall Street, Bolton, when he caught her attention by whistling at her.

Jonathan Dickinson, prosecuting, said: “She went into the bushes with him because he seemed like a normal lad and she thought he could be trusted.

“But the defendant threw her on to the ground and said: ‘There is no point in struggling because I am going to kill you after this’.”

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, begged Webb not to rape her, claiming she was pregnant and she feared for the baby, as he held the knife to her throat.

Webb, formerly of Bolton, agreed but demanded she perform a sex act on him.

The woman escaped and flagged down a passing police patrol car. Forensic experts were able to match DNA from the woman to Webb and arrested him last December in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire.

Joseph Hart, defending, said: “This is an unpleasant and desperately embarrassing offence for Mr Webb to face up to. He had the courage to plead guilty and stands by that guilty plea.”

Webb, now aged 19, was told he would only serve half of his sentence in prison, and the rest on licence. He must also sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for life.