A DANGEROUS rapist who ambushed a woman and carried out a "horrific" sexual attack upon her has been jailed for life.

Catalin Horhota denied a catalogue of sexual offences against three women in September last year, including rape, attempted rape and sexual assault.

But a jury at Oxford Crown Court unanimously found him guilty of all the crimes as well as a burglary and exposing himself to police officers after being arrested.

The court heard Hohorta had ambushed his victim after she had been on a night out on September 19, dragged her into a toilet and raped and sexually assaulted her.

After leaving her there vomiting, the 42-year-old returned and tried to rape her again, but she went to her friend for help. 

Horhota, of no fixed abode, sexually assaulted his victim's friend in the same property before leaving on the early hours of the next day.

Later that day he sexually assaulted another woman in South Parks, Oxford, but her partner took a picture of him and he was arrested.

Judge Peter Ross said Horhota posed a serious danger to women and jailed him for life today.

Horhota will not be eligible to apply for parole for at least nine-and-a-half years.

Following Horhota’s conviction, investigating officer, Det Con David Rogers of Force CID in Oxford, said: “I hope today’s sentence reassures the public that such serious offences will not be tolerated by Thames Valley Police, the Crown Prosecution Service or the courts. I am delighted that Horhota, who is a proven dangerous offender, will now spend a substantial period behind bars.

“I would like to thank the victims for coming forward and reporting these serious offences to Thames Valley Police. The victims have shown immense courage throughout our investigation and subsequent trial. I hope that today’s life sentence brings them some sense of justice.

“Although horrific, I would like to reassure members of the public the offences carried out by Horhota are rare.”