AN Oldham man has been jailed for nine years for raping a woman while she was sleeping after a New Year's Eve celebration in North London.

Emeka Ugoh, 33, had been staying at a friend's house in Edmonton when the incident occurred, Wood Green Crown Court was told.

Prosecutors say Ugoh had returned to his friend's house, after celebrating the New Year in 2017-18, and the victim was also stopping over.

The court heard that during the night, on two occasions, Ugoh had attempted to have sex with the victim.

On both occasions she clearly said no and sent him away, a jury was told.

But on the morning of New Year’s Day 2018, the victim awoke to find Ugoh raping her, the court was told.

She reported the incident to police but Ugoh was not charged with rape until June 2019 when he was served with a postal requisition by the police.

Jurors took just 90 minutes to convict Ugoh, of Norbury House, Glodwick Road,who had denied the offence, of rape.

He must also serve an additional 28-day jail sentence for failing to surrender to custody, as part of the proceedings, ruled trial judge Gregory Perrins, who also ordered him to sign the sex offenders register.

Det Con Rob Bushell, of the Metopolitan Police and the senior investigating officer in the case, has welcomed the sentence.

Speaking after the case. DC Bushell said: “Even though Ugoh knew that the victim did not want to have sex with him, he decided to take advantage of her being asleep in order to rape her.

“Thanks to the strength and patience of the victim in supporting this investigation, we have successfully removed a dangerous offender from the community. I urge anyone who has been a victim of a sexual offence to contact police without delay so that at the very least, they can be supported.”