An arrogant Ashford rapist – who thanked his terrified victim after his vile attacks – screamed at the jury after being found guilty.

Predator Berhe Berhane, 22, forced his victim to face a knifepoint ordeal during the incident in Canterbury.

A jury at Canterbury Crown Court found him guilty of four rapes yesterday – but as the judge was addressing them, Berhane began shouting: "Why you do this? Why you do this?"

Judge Heather Norton told him to be quiet and two security guards then dragged him out of the dock as he continued to shout: "No, no, no..."

It was only after the verdicts that the jury heard how Berhane, of Riverbank Way, Willesborough had been quizzed about another sex allegation last year.

Prosecutor Gabby Henty revealed how a 17-year-old had been invited by him into a house to charge her phone but was then pushed onto a bed.

Somalian-born Berhane was never charged with any offence after the girl revealed she didn't want to give evidence and the investigation was dropped.

"He kept saying he was going to stab her and held the knife close to her face and told her to take off her clothes. She was terrified. He then pushed her onto the bed and got on top of her..." - Prosecutor Gabby Henty

But in April this year he armed himself with a kitchen knife and attacked a 22-year-old woman at a flat in Canterbury.

Ms Henty told the jury how the victim had met Berhane three years ago at a party when he had tried to hug and kiss her.

"He asked if she would sleep with him and when she refused he tripped her up so she fell to the ground and he lay on top of her.

"But she managed to push him off and then ran into the house."

The prosecutor said she had told her boyfriend who had then confronted Berhane and told him to stay away.

But in April this year the victim was walking in Canterbury and saw Berhane – who had been drinking - in the street.

Ms Henty said the victim later stayed at her boyfriend's home but was awoken in the early hours by Berhane who had armed himself with a kitchen knife.

"He kept saying he was going to stab her and held the knife close to her face and told her to take off her clothes. She was terrified.

"She did as she was told and he then told her to perform a sex act on him. He then pushed her onto the bed and got on top of her. He had put the knife down on the table nearby as the attack continued."

The prosecutor told how the courageous victim then tried to make a grab for the weapon but at the last moment lost her nerve because she feared she might get stabbed.

After the attack he threatened that if she reported the rape he would return and kill her, the prosecutor revealed.

The angry fiend even demanded his victim to show more enthusiasm during subsequent attacks.

After the attacks Berhane then thanked his traumatised victim before she was able to flee the house and raise the alarm.

She told the jury: "I don't know how to describe my feelings. I was just empty. I was crying. I was just numb.

"He kept asking me not to tell anyone. He was begging, begging and begging for me not to tell anyone. At one point he was on his knees. He said he was drunk and when he gets drunk he can't control himself."

Berhane has now been remanded in custody for five weeks for the preparation of a probation report and was told he faced a lengthy jail sentence.