A 21-year-old man who beat and raped an elderly widow in her home has been jailed for 12 years in an attack described as revolting and shocking by a judge.

Tony Plews, of Willington, County Durham forced the 87-year-old woman to the floor before tying a tea towel around her neck and raping her.

He also robbed her of about £700 during the attack on March 20 last year.

The Recorder of Middlesbrough, Judge Peter Fox, said the attack was so horrific he considered passing a term of life imprisonment but had to reconsider due to the defendant's age and early guilty plea.

Teesside Crown Court heard Plews was homeless at the time of the rape and had visited the widow's house, where she had lived for 50 years, and she gave him a cup of tea and sandwich.

Christopher Atwooll, prosecuting, said: "After an hour the defendant's attitude changed. He forced her upstairs and demanded she handed over all her money to him.

"He was aggressive, she was extremely scared.

"He made a search of the property before forcing her downstairs into the living room."

Mr Atwooll said Plews tied a tea towel around the victim's neck before taking off her underwear and assaulting her.

He said: "Her ordeal lasted for about ten minutes. Throughout that, he made repeated threats to murder her if she told anyone."

Plews then left and the widow sought a neighbour's help. When examined by doctors she was found to have extensive bruising. DNA from semen at the scene identified Plews as the attacker.

Chris Baker, defendingin mitigation, said: "It is difficult to put forward a rational explanation for what happened that night. At the time, he was taking a large amount of cannabis and had taken cocaine. He describes the offence as despicable and it clearly is."

Plews, now 22, of Lincoln Drive, Willington, pleaded guilty to robbery and rape in June.