A 25-year-old man convicted of raping a University of Essex student while she slept has been jailed for eight years.

Sultan Mohammed, of Almond Way, Colchester, was found guilty of entering the student’s room while she slept and raping her during the early hours of Wednesday, October 3.

The victim had been enjoying a night out with friends during fresher’s week before returning to her accommodation.

She described how she went to sleep and woke up sometime between 4.45am and 6am feeling very confused to find a man she didn’t know having sex with her.

The man claimed his name was Michael, and said they had met that evening.

CCTV footage showed Mohammed, who was not a student at the university, enter the halls of residence via an insecure door around 5am, bypassing another door which had been left open.

Read the full court story here: Man found guilty of university rape

Sultan Mohammed was sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court today to eight years in prison.

Investigating officer DC Adam Tyhurst said: “This was a predatory attack on a woman whilst she slept in her room and it has understandably had a devastating effect on her life.

“I’d like to commend her on the strength and courage she has shown throughout the investigation, standing strong to ensure Sultan Mohammed was held accountable for what he did.”

Check back here for the full story this afternoon.