A sex beast who raped a woman in her home at knifepoint after trying to gag her has been warned he could face a life sentence.

Philip Bradley attacked the mother at her house in Gillingham after she allowed him to stay the night, sleeping downstairs.

The 53-year-old waited until the early hours and then went to her bedroom and tried to cover her mouth with tape.

Maidstone Crown Court heard he did not succeed but brandished a knife he had taken from the kitchen and put it to her throat.

Bradley groped the victim’s breasts and lay on top of her. He ordered her to remove her leggings and knickers and then raped her.

“Throughout the course of all that he was holding the knife to her throat,” said prosecutor Sarah Lindop. “He used it with sufficient force to cut her, leaving a small wound.

“She kept quiet so as not to wake her children.”

Bradley went downstairs and made a “half-hearted attempt” to cut his wrists.

“It may be he was intoxicated but that can’t provide him with any defence for what he did,” said Miss Lindop. “She wanted him to leave. He eventually did.

“He said she had to promise she would not tell on him, that he had attacked her and raped her. It would appear his defence is it simply didn’t happen.”

The woman did not go straight to the police but told members of her family what had happened.

Miss Lindop said Bradley continued to harass her and made threats to kill her.

He returned to the house and broke in by removing a window and frame of a bathroom.

Bradley threatened a man staying there with a knife. He then woke up the woman at knifepoint. He told her to dress and “marched” her out of the house.

“As he marched her away he told her he was going to kill her,” said Miss Lindop. “She didn’t scream because she didn’t know what he would do.

“He said she had to promise she would not tell on him, that he had attacked her and raped her" - Sarah Lindop

“Happily, she had put down her knickers a panic alarm and she pressed it repeatedly.

“As a result, the police attended promptly. He ran off into the night chased by police. He was arrested.”

Bradley, of Frazier Street, Southwark, south London, was convicted of rape, attempted kidnap, making a threat to kill, having a bladed article, assault and damaging property.

After the verdicts he was taken to the cells after refusing to stay in court.

He was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on March 11.

Judge Martin Joy said he was considering a life sentence.