A QUICK-thinking schoolgirl helped snare a sex offender by taking a picture of him as she bravely fought him off.
Alexandra Muresan was just 15 when she was ambushed by Nathan Rawson as she walked to school in Leeds, West Yorkshire.
The teen managed to take photos of the knife-wielding attacker, which were later circulated by police.
They helped lead to an arrest with Rawson later jailed for 13 years and eight months.
Alexandra has now spoken of her ordeal after winning a bravery award from the police for her courageous actions.
She said she feared being “raped or killed” by the fiend during the horror attack in February 2019.
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Alexandra, now 19, said: “When he came towards me, I saw the handle of his knife and I just grabbed it and started pulling.
“There was just so much adrenaline – my whole body was shaking. I don’t know why – it’s what came to mind straight away and I just did it.
“I did rugby for two years, so I managed to get it off him eventually.”
Rawson approached Alexandra with a knife during the attack and forced her to walk into a wooded area.
She was left with a cut on her hand after managing to fight the fiend off.
Alexandra said: “I don’t even know how to describe how I felt after it happened.
“It’s not really something you experience every day.
“My mum and dad were obviously really worried about me, but they did everything they could to help.
“They wanted to take me to therapy, but I’m not the kind of person to talk a lot and go to therapy.
“At first, I was a little bit scared to go out by myself, but at the same time, as I grew older, it kind of boosted my confidence.”
Rawson pleaded guilty to kidnapping, wounding, possession of an offensive weapon and two unrelated counts of burglary.
Alexandra was handed the award by West Yorkshire Police for her bravery.
Her certificate read: “In recognition of your brave actions on 15th February 2019 when confronted by a male who attempted to abduct you at knifepoint.
“You managed to disarm the man despite sustaining a knife wound and obtained images of him on your phone which led to the swift apprehension of the offender.”
