A MOTHER of two subjected to a sickening attack by a schoolboy sex offender warned last night: "He could turn into a serial rapist."

The Darlington woman, who cannot be named, spoke of her anger that her 15-year-old attacker had not been locked up for longer than seven years.

And she joined police in voicing fears that the teenager, who was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life, may target other women when he is released.

The case sparked so much concern among police officers that it led to an appeal on Crimewatch.

The boy subjected his married victim to a terrifying sexual ordeal after leaping from bushes as she walked with her two children along a bridleway.

Her daughters had cycled ahead on Green Lane in Darlington, on May 7 last year, when the attacker pounced.

Yesterday at Teesside Crown Court, the schoolboy was locked up for seven years for attempted rape and indecent assault.

But his victim, who is in her 30s, told how she will spend the next few years living with the dread of his release.

She said: "I think that the sentence is too short. I don't think his age should have been taken into account.

"I was warned that he would not get a long sentence because of his age but I think it is more dangerous that he is doing something like this at his age.

"I think he is very dangerous and the public needs to be protected for longer.

"He has shown no remorse for what he has done and he has continuously denied it."

The victim, who feared for her life during the attack, said that the terrifying ordeal had left her unable to trust men and too frightened to walk her dog alone.

She believes that the teenager, who cannot be identified because of his age, will strike again once he is released.

She said: "I am convinced that this is just the beginning. When he gets let out he will be a serial rapist if they do not watch him carefully with surveillance. I hope that he is not going to take it personally against me.

I do feel a sense of relief but I think that I am just putting off the dread that he is going to come out sometime.

"I know that when he does get released that he is going to do it again. I fear that I am going to read about it in the papers or that something is going to happen to me..

" I do not think that jail is going to change him."

The mother of two young girls, aged nine and 11, sat in court throughout the trial and was there yesterday to see her attacker sentenced.

In court, Judge Peter Fox said the evidence against the youngster was overwhelming.

Addressing him, he said: "It was a terrible experience for her. I am urged on your behalf to take the view that your continued denial of this horrific attack is simply down to your age.

"I cannot exclude the more serious underlying motivation for your continuing to deny what is overwhelmingly obvious to everyone and must be to yourself.

"My first duty is to protect other women from a similar experience. This lady has suffered and continues to suffer serious consequences of your action and it is my task first and foremost to do what I can to ensure that a similar experience does not befall others."

More than 20 officers from Durham Police worked round the clock to catch the attacker.

DNA evidence proved that there was only a one-in-a-billion chance it could have been committed by someone else.

Detective Inspector Ian Phillips, who led the investigation, said: "No matter what the sentence today, to everybody who worked on the inquiry it is the victim and her family who we are thinking of.

"He is a dangerous person who is now thankfully held in the prison system. I will ensure that his progress is monitored.

"You work on a case like this closely and you know deep down that someone like this could do it again.