A man has been jailed for raping an 18-year-old girl in a Balham hostel while his girlfriend slept metres away.

Anthony Christian, 33, was sentenced at the Old Bailey last week to 14 years in prison.

The victim, who had earlier been at church, was staying at a hostel in Balham last April when Christian knocked on her door and demanded sex just after 2am.

After the attack he warned her not to tell anybody and then returned to his partner's room.

The victim was later taken to hospital after taking an overdose, as a result of her ordeal.

On Tuesday (October 29) last week, Judge Gerald Gordon described the defendant as a “dangerous offender”.

Christian, who denied a charge of rape, was convicted after an eight day trial which began on October 14.

Once released from his custodial sentence, Christian must sign on the sex offender’s register for the rest of his life.