A paramedic who pretended to be gay to gain the trust of a woman he raped has been struck off.

Christopher Bridger was found guilty of rape, two counts of sexual assault, assault by penetration, and causing a person to engage in sexual activity without their consent last July at Guildford Crown Court.

He was sentenced to 12 years in prison, which was extended to 15 in September, and he must sign the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Four of the five offences took place in Epsom, Walton and Addlestone over an 18-month period.

On Tuesday, a panel of the Health and Care Professions Council’s conduct and competence committee heard Bridger had committed the offences against three vulnerable young women known to him as friends and colleagues, including a student paramedic.

Panel chairman Brian Wroe said: "[Bridger] entered a plea of not guilty to each of the charges and was found guilty following a 13-day trial.

"This showed Christopher Bridger lacks the insight into the circumstances which resulted in the convictions and does not take responsibility for his actions."

The panel decided to strike his name from its register with an interim suspension order to cover Bridger’s appeal period.

Bridger was neither present nor represented at the hearing.

In September 2008, while Bridger was learning to be a paramedic at St George’s University Hospital, Tooting, he befriended one of his victims, who was also staying there.

After a night out, he started cuddling and kissing her. He then took off her clothes and raped her.

In total, Bridger preyed on three female victims.

He was also found guilty of sexually assaulting two of his co-workers in 2011 and 2012 while he was working with the South East Coast Ambulance NHS Service.

At the time of his sentencing, Detective Constable Claire Hastings of the sexual offences, exploitation and child abuse command, called Bridger a "confidence trickster" who lulled his victims into a false sense of security by claiming he was gay.