A “DANGEROUS and sinister man” who subjected a woman to a terrifying ordeal of rape and sexual assault has been jailed for 13-and-a-half years.

Paul Fuller, who is originally from County Durham, threatened his victim with a meat cleaver, baton and two other knives and carried out the string of demeaning assaults on her while her two-year-old son slept upstairs.

Carlisle Crown Court heard how the 37-year-old, now of Greenhill, Brampton, recorded his chilling crimes and that the victim feared for her son’s life and her own.

He was sentenced on Monday having admitted two counts of rape, four sexual offences and three charges of being in possession of an offensive weapon. He initially denied the offences but later changed his plea.

Prosecutor Tim Evans outlined what happened when Fuller visited the young woman’s home in the early hours of July 29. He attended knowing she was alone at her address, in the Carlisle area, with her son and with the intention of raping her, the court heard.

After threatening the victim he sexually assaulted and then raped her on two occasions, filming parts of the ordeal including - when he demanded - her saying that she was a willing participant.

Fuller carried out the attack despite the victim pleading for him to leave. “She was begging him, ‘please don’t hurt me, I’ve got my little boy upstairs’,” Mr Evans said.

He left after the attack and was arrested shortly after 5am. A search of his home address recovered a baton holder, an incomplete set of kitchen knives and a suitcase containing a note with the victim’s address written on it.

Commenting on how she had been affected by the attack, Mr Evans added: “She felt utterly devastated that the defendant has taken away a lot of her happiness in her life and feels disgusted about what he made her do.”

His Honour Judge James Adkin said this was a “determined and carefully planned rape” as the defendant had taken with him weapons, gloves and a change of clothes.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Cheryl Skelton said: “This was a horrendous and terrifying premeditated attack on a young mother in her own home, whilst her young child slept upstairs.

“Fuller arrived at the address in possession of multiple weapons, knowing he could use them to intimidate and force the victim to carry out sexual acts against her will. During the ordeal she feared for her own and her child’s life and this has had a long-lasting effect on her since the incident.

“The fact he also filmed himself carrying out this horrific attack shows how dangerous and sinister an individual he is and we welcome the sentencing. The victim has been extremely brave throughout this investigation and I hope that now he has been sentenced this can provide her with some form of closure.”

Fuller will serve a further five years on licence in addition to his prison sentence. He will be on the sex offender’s register for life and is banned, indefinitely, from contacting the victim and from entering the area where she lives.