A 33-year-old man has been jailed after sexually assaulting a woman who bit a chunk from his tongue in self-defence.

Mustafa Ali, of no fixed abode, attacked a woman in Fishponds Road, Tooting, on January 18.

The victim prevented him from committing a more serious offence after biting off part of his tongue, with the attack taking place at 1.15am.

Blood dogs helped to trace a blood trail left by the attacker to a bus stop in Balham High Road, Balham.

Enquiries were made into possible buses that may have stopped there in the time frame.

A bus was identified, CCTV seized and swabs of blood taken which indicated where Mr Ali was sitting.

The retrieved piece of tongue was submitted to a laboratory for forensic investigations, which led to his identification through DNA.

He was also traced through a belonging he left behind and prints found on the bus.

Mr Ali was later identified by police when he topped up his Oyster Card in Stonebridge, north-west London.

He was charged with attempted rape, sexual assault and grievous bodily harm on April 10.

A judge sentenced him to 15 months in prison and he was recommended for deportation.

Enquires are ongoing to determine his true nationality.