A Gosport man who filmed himself raping a woman as she slept has been jailed for two decades.

Louis Charles Cann, 38, raped two women multiple times in a ten-month period in Portsmouth and Gosport, police said.

Salisbury Crown Court heard that the women were manipulated by Cann, threatened with violence and verbally abused, and one of the women was physically assaulted by Cann when she said no to having sex with him.

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Passing sentence on Thursday, Judge Adam Feest KC remarked on the humiliation, degradation, blackmail and manipulation used by Cann, in order to rape these women, with the judge noting that one of the women was treated ‘like a rag doll.’

He said: “Neither I nor anyone listening to this case can properly understand the long-lasting trauma, distress, and fear that your actions have caused.”

Cann, of Rampart Row, was charged with nine counts of rape following an investigation by Operation Amberstone – Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary’s specialist rape and serious sexual offence investigation team.

He denied the charges - but was found guilty of all the offences on Wednesday, June 5 by a jury.

Detective Sergeant Samantha Brown, from the Operation Amberstone Team, said: “The level of sexual violence and abuse that these women have suffered at the hands of this awful man is truly shocking.

“These women were degraded, manipulated and assaulted in the most appalling way.

“Nonetheless, they have shown incredible courage in standing up to this cowardly individual, and because of their strength and bravery Cann will now spend a lengthy period of time in jail.”

She added: “We want anyone who has been affected by rape or sexual abuse to have the confidence to report this. You will be believed, and we will do everything in our power to bring offenders to justice.”

Cann was sentenced to 20 years in prison, with an additional extended five-year licence period.

He was also handed a lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders' Register for life.