A vile rapist who subjected a woman to a horrendous attack before holding her prisoner has been locked up.

James Bedingfield, 27, dragged his victim by her hair up several flights of stairs to his bedroom, where he raped her.

During the brutal assault, he held a pillow over her face.

Afterwards, Bedingfield refused to let his victim leave. He tied her hands and feet together and pushed a sock in her mouth to stop her crying.

Canterbury Crown Court heard the victim went to Bedingfield's house in Canterbury Road, Margate, in the early hours of June 21 last year.

He became angry with her and launched his vicious attack.

When interviewed by police, Bedingfield tried to claim the sex had been consensual and they had argued afterwards which had upset the woman.

But the jury disagreed with Bedingfield's version of events and yesterday, he was sentenced to nine years in prison for rape and a further three years for false imprisonment, to run concurrently.

Detective Sergeant Daniel Aylett said: "I want to commend the victim for her courage in speaking out and her support throughout the investigation and subsequent trial."