A "PREDATORY" ice skater from Oxford who groomed and abused two vulnerable young girls has failed in a bid to get his jail term slashed.

Rapist Joseph Tsang, of Sandy Lane, Oxford, was sentenced in his absence to 15 years behind bars at Oxford Crown Court on October 20 last year.

But it was not until February this year that the 32-year-old, who had fled to Hong Kong, was caged.

Tsang was a 'well-known' ice skater, Mr Justice Jeremy Baker told London's Appeal Court.

He got in contact with a 15-year-old girl on Facebook. They later met at a hotel where he assaulted her and twice raped her.

She has since suffered with depression, nightmares and self-harming, said the judge.

Tsang met a 14-year-old girl at an ice rink before keeping in touch via social media.

When she came to his home, he took her into his bedroom and locked the door.

He kissed her and she pushed him away.

But he went onto molest her before removing his clothing and making her engage in a sex act.

Police also found 28 indecent images of children on Tsang's computer.

In August last year, while still on the run, he was found guilty of two counts of rape and two of sexual assault.

He was previously found guilty of three counts of sexual activity with a child and two of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Tsang was also convicted of making indecent images of children.

The judge who jailed him said he had a "predatory sexual fascination with adolescent girls".

He had 'groomed' them to the point of them becoming 'infatuated' with him, as a result of the interest that he, a well-known ice skater, had shown in them.

Tsang was extradited to the UK from Hong Kong in February and was handed an extra six months for failing to surrender to custody the following month.

He had no previous convictions, the court heard.

Lawyers for Tsang argued his jail term was far too tough.

But Mr Justice Jeremy Baker, sitting at London's Appeal Court yesterday with Lord Justice McCombe and Sir Alistair MacDuff, said the Crown Court judge had taken account of the overall length of the sentence.

"We are satisfied that the sentence of 15 years properly reflects Tsang's sexual criminality in respect of these two vulnerable girls," he concluded.