A vile rapist has been jailed for eight years after he filmed himself abusing a woman in her sleep and used the footage to blackmail her into keeping quiet.
Evil Alex Somerfield, 23, raped his victim last December but after he assaulted her in the street in February, she reported him to police.
A court heard the thug deleted the footage from his mobile phone but experts were able to retrieve the incriminating evidence.
Somerfield, of Handsworth, Birmingham, was found guilty of rape after a four day trial at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday (1/9).
He was also found guilty of perverting the course of justice after he had repeatedly contacted his victim in an effort to make her change her statement to police.
Somerfield was sentenced for eight years for rape and four years each for two counts of sexual assault to run consecutively on Monday (4/9).
He also received six months for two counts of assault and battery and 12 months for perverting the course of justice to run consecutively.
In addition a Sexual Harm Protection Order was imposed and Somerfield will be placed on the Sex Offender Register indefinitely.
Detective Constable Matt Wilson, from West Midland Police’s Public Protection Unit, said: “Somerfield had such a hold over his victim that she felt powerless to press charges, but I would like to reassure anyone who is scared to face up to their abuser that we have specialist officers who can help through every step of the process and there are a whole raft of other agencies who can offer support.”
