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A man who led a woman into a forest before stripping her naked and beating her within an inch of her life has been found guilty of attempted murder.

Matthew Stevens, 28, attacked and dragged his victim through a field before leaving her for dead after meeting her during a night out in Newcastle city centre in March.

CCTV footage shows Stevens and the woman, who is in her 30s, walking together through the deserted streets at 3am.

Less than an hour later Stevens is seen again, walking back the way they came, alone.

The victim was later discovered at 6am by a dog walker, seriously injured, semi-conscious, and stripped naked.

She suffered severe swelling to her face and eyes, a punctured lung, lacerations to her face, a broken nose, and was suffering from hypothermia.

The court also heard that her shoes had mud stains on the back and the sides but not on the sole, which the prosecution claim was due to the fact she had been dragged through grass.

Disturbingly, Newcastle Crown Court heard how Stevens took a bracelet from his victim as a ‘trophy or memento’, before leaving her to die.

The victim’s clothes, including her underwear, were found on a street opposite to where she was discovered.

Stevens from Brunswick, Newcastle admitted to wounding with the intent to causing grievous bodily harm to the victim but denied attempted murder.

However a jury found him guilty of attempted murder 11-1, and he will be sentenced in March.

Speaking after the trial, Detective Inspector Tam Fowler, from Northumbria Police, said: ‘This was a sinister attack which I’m sure will stay with the victim for some time, and I hope today gives her that first step towards the closure she needs and deserves.

‘Her bravery and courage throughout these proceedings has been remarkable and I am pleased the jury saw through the lies told by Stevens about his actions and intentions that night.

‘He is a dangerous man who should not be afforded the luxury of living in our communities and I am pleased he faces a significant custodial sentence.

‘We were able to show the court how he isolated his victim, taking her away from her friend to an area she didn’t know to carry out the attack, and when he was finished, he left her alone in a field, without her clothes, phone or anyway to get home or call for help, with significant facial injuries she would have died from.’

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