A young woman who courageously fought off a would-be rapist and left the sex predator bloodied and bruised has given an emotional interview about her horrific ordeal.

Sheffield University student Lucy Kucharik was on her way home from a late shift at work in the city centre in November last year when she sensed she was being followed. She crossed the street three times to avoid the man she suspected was pursuing her and held her phone and keys in her hand. Those keys were soon to become one of her survival tools.

CCTV footage later showed that she had been stalked for a mile by a would-be rapist, Johnathon Holmes.

Read more: Woman who fought off sex attacker is honoured with bravery award

Holmes was drunk – but determined. He had been hiding in shadowy corners, waiting and watching lone women as they passed by. Once he had set his sights on Kucharik, he trailed her from a distance before launching his assault. The burly 35-year-old threw Kucharik, then 20, into roadside bushes and wrestled her onto her back before climbing on top of her, telling her "you are going to enjoy this."

What he didn’t expect was for a “terrified but angry” Kucharik, now 21, to fight back. As Holmes rushed at her, she punched him in the stomach. Undeterred, he used his weight to try and “smother” his victim into submission, but when he groped her and forced his tongue into Kucharik’s mouth, she bit down hard.

Sensing her attacker was backing down, Kucharik further defended herself by using her keys to give Holmes the cuts and bruises that were still visible in his mugshot. When he finally gave up and ran off, Kucharik shouted after him "You won't do that to a woman again."

Watch attack victim Lucy Kucharik speak about fighting off her attacker:

Meet the brave woman who fought off a sex attacker with her keys after he told her “You're going to enjoy this”