A Beccles man has been jailed after raping a woman in her bed in what police have described as a “truly abhorrent crime”.

One morning in May, the victim was asleep at her home in Beccles when she was woken up at about 6.45am by the feeling there was a presence in the room.

She realised a man was getting into her bed. She asked what he was doing in her bedroom and told him to get out, before he held her down and raped her.

The victim called the police, and the man left as she was on the phone.

Martin Tom, 26, was detained near the house shortly after and tried to bite officers after his arrest, telling police he had been high on crack cocaine and had been drinking and was out all night.

He admitted trespassing into the home and going into the victim’s bedroom to steal her mobile phone, but then admitted forcing himself on her.

Tom, of St Matthew’s Avenue, Beccles, was charged with rape and resisting a police officer in the execution of their duty. He pleaded guilty to both offences at a hearing at Ipswich Crown Court in August and today was sentenced to five years and four months in prison, with an extended licence period of four years.

One of the officers in the case, DC Darren Winchester, praised the victim’s honesty, integrity and bravery.

He said: “She contacted police straight away and it was this prompt action that led to officers being able to detain Tom in the area a short time later.

“She told officers she had acted as calmly as possible at the time to get him out of the property as quickly and safely as possible.

“He gained entry to the property and subjected her to an attack despite her protests and attempts to get him to leave.”

Detective Sergeant Simon Fitch who heads the serious sexual offences team at Lowestoft, known as Operation Gemini, said: “I would also like to commend the courage displayed by the victim in this case.

“This was a truly abhorrent crime and I am glad that a dangerous and violent offender is off the streets.

“The Op Gemini team work tirelessly to bring offenders to justice and I would urge any victim of sexual crime to report to the police.”