A MAN who raped and sexually assaulted a teenage girl days after being released from prison has been jailed for eight years.

Donald Murphy, who had a previous conviction for indecent assault, attacked the girl and subjected her to the sex attack three days after his realease.

Teesside Crown Court heard yesterday the 35-year-old raped the girl in March after he had encouraged her to drink alcohol with him.

Judge George Moorhouse said it appeared Murphy had "groomed" the girl.

The court heard he was a habitual criminal with a long list of offences including burglary, theft and driving convictions.

In December 1992, he was imprisoned for 18 months after he picked a woman up in his car and indecently assaulted her.

Five years later he was charged with the murder of his best friend but was convicted of the lesser offence of causing death by dangerous driving and jailed for three years.

Murphy, of, Ryedale, Middlesbrough, had pleaded not guilty to the charges, but was convicted after a trial in September.

Judge Moorhouse jailed him for eight years for rape and assault and ordered he be placed on the sex offenders register for life.

Upon his release, he is also banned from unsupervised contact with anyone under 18.