Rapist jailed after Clapham attack leaves victim "unrecognisable"

Peter Ramsey, 26, of Forest Hill, beat the woman so brutally she was left with 21 individual injuries during the attack on August 27 last year in Clapham.

The pair met via popular dating website plentyoffish.com before agreeing to go for a drink in Clapham High Street.

At the end of the evening they took a cab to the victim's address and Ramsey walked the victim to her door. But when he leaned in for goodnight kiss she pulled away.

Ramsey then launched a vicious attack punching her repeatedly before pushing her down some stairs.

She fell to the ground and he raped her before stealing her handbag - the victim's mother, hearing her screams, rushed out to help her daughter but Ramsey had fled.

The victim suffered a cut to her eye and severe swelling to her face and eyes as well as extensive bruising to her neck, back and limbs.

She told the court she thought she was "going to die" when he suddenly "switched" after she rejected his advances.

Following a crisis of conscience, Ramsey called the victim the next day, leaving two messages saying he was sorry.

But a DNA swab taken from the victim was matched to Ramsey and he was arrested on August 29.

In his defence Ramsey tried to claim he had consensual sex with the victim but left her arguing with another man, who must have been responsible for the attack.

He was found guilty of rape, GBH and theft at Inner London Crown Court in March, and sentenced on Thursday, May 24.

He was also ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for the rest of his life.

Detectives from the Met's rape unit Sapphire said the victim's wounds were some of the most brutal and shocking they had seen.

Detective Constable Richard Huggins said: "I would like to pay tribute to the victim and her bravery in coming forward to report this to the police so that an investigation could be launched.

"I hope that today’s sentence gives confidence to other victims of rape and sexual assault."