Grand Theft Auto teen attacked women

teenager obsessed with Grand Theft Auto attacked four women in an imitation of the violent computer game, a court heard.

Ryan Chinnery, 19, from Kent, attacked the women after becoming obsessed with the video nasty.

A court heard yesterday how the teen prowled streets in his car targeting females he thought were prostitutes.

In the video game a character drives around on "missions" — including approaching prostitutes who can be beaten up.

Prosecutor Eleanor Laws quoted in The Sun said Chinnery's love of Grand Theft Auto "may go some way to explaining his attitude towards women".

But Madistone Crown Court was told none of Chinnery's victims were in fact prostitutes.

A copy of Grand Theft Auto was found at his home by police.

The assaults, all at night, took place close to Ashford, Kent, over a two-month period last June when Chinnery was still 17.

Chinnery admitted two sex attacks. Two similar offences were left on file.

According to The Sun, he attacked his first victim under a railway bridge, pulling down her trousers and touching her breasts. He dragged his second victim along a path but they fell down an embankment into a river before anything happened.

Chinnery grabbed his third victim by her arms as she walked home from work. He had to let her go as a passer-by approached.

In his fourth attack attack he made a women remove her clothing before sexually assaulting her, and performing a sex act on himself.

Sentencing was adjourned until next month pending reports, but Chinnery was warned he faced a long jail sentence.