A rapist who subjected a woman to a knifepoint attack has been warned he faces a lengthy prison term.

Adhanom Berhe, 34, was found guilty of rape, attempted rape and sexual assault after a trial at Maidstone Crown Court.

Adjourning sentence until September for probation and psychiatric reports, Judge Martin Joy told Berhe he had been convicted on "overwhelming evidence".

Remanding him in custody, the judge added: "There can only be very severe punishment for such offences."

The court heard the Latvian woman, who cannot be identified, was alone watching TV at a friend's bedsit on January 2 when the door opened and Berhe came in.

When the young woman told him to leave, he produced a knife from his pocket and ordered her to strip.

The woman sobbed throughout her ordeal and told Berhe she was a virgin.

She even offered him money and a computer.

But Berhe, of Scotts Terrace, Chatham, ignored her pleas and - holding the knife to her face - told her he would not hurt her if she did as he said.

The woman was eventually able to escape from the bedsit and phone police.

The court heard officers arrived and found Berhe still in the room, holding the knife and threatening to kill himself.

Police eventually managed to disarm him by using pepper spray.

Adhanom Berhe was convicted at Maidstone Crown Court

Giving evidence through an interpreter, Berhe claimed the woman offered him sex and began undressing within minutes of meeting for the first time.

He claimed they had a consensual "sexual encounter" despite being complete strangers.

Berhe denied during cross-examination that he subjected her to a knife-point attack, and claimed he only picked one up after their sex act when he heard voices in his head telling him to kill himself.

DS Richard Spicer, from Kent Police, said: "A jury took just one hour and 38 minutes to find him guilty of an appalling attack on a young woman.

"He has not shown any remorse throughout the trial and I'm pleased the jury has found him guilty of this terrible crime. I hope this comes as some comfort to his victim, although she will always have to live with the memory of the night of the attack."