Man poured cold water on victim and tried to set her hair on fire before raping her

Leroy Brown raped his victim, a woman in her 20s, at an address in the South Shore area of Blackpool in October 2018.

Brown, 31, of Albert Road, Blackpool, was found guilty of rape in August and was sentenced this week at Preston Crown Court.

He was jailed for 12 years and must serve eight years before he is considered for parole.

He has also been given a lifetime restraining order and a lifetime sex offender notification requirement.

Det Con James Ellis, of West CID, said: “This was an absolutely terrifying ordeal for the woman involved and I would like to commend her for her courage - she has shown incredible bravery throughout, especially while giving evidence at court.

“At no stage has Brown shown any remorse for his horrific actions and the sentence handed down reflects the gravity of his offending.

“I hope that this significant sentence will give others who may have suffered rape or sexual assault to come and speak to us.

"We know that may be hard but no matter who you are, how long ago the assault happened or what took place, our prime concern is to give you the support you need.

"We'll listen, understand and guide you through the investigation process at a pace you're comfortable with, whilst respecting your wishes.”