VANCOUVER - A B.C. man was sentenced to 25 years after attacking a woman in her New York City apartment in 2008 and sexually assaulting her.

Greg Poirier, 39, was convicted for the April 2008 attack last month for sexually motivated burglary and sexual abuse, the New York County District Attorney's Office said in a release Monday after his sentencing.

In April 2008, Poirier followed the woman, then pushed her into her apartment, locked the door and sexually assaulted her. During the assault, the victim bit Poirier's wrist, drawing blood, and he fled.

The case remained unsolved until a 2009 conviction on an unrelated sexually motivated burglary charge, where his DNA was linked to blood left at the woman's apartment.

"I would like to commend the victim for her bravery in coming forward and speaking out against her attacker," district attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. said in the statement.

Defence lawyer Hershel Katz said Poirer was linked to five sexual attacks and the sentence reflected that.

Katz said Canada has an immigration hold on Poirer, though he couldn't confirm the man is wanted on crimes here.

"Canada is not getting him back for a long time," Katz said.

The sentence was the maximum he could receive. Katz told an NBC affiliate in New York that his client, who is Native Canadian, plans to appeal.