A serial rapist who barged into a victim’s home to subject her to a terrifying attack has been convicted.

Joe Silver, of Margate, was found guilty at Canterbury Crown Court of three counts of rape against two women.

The 33-year-old told jurors his victims conspired to have him locked up in a twisted plot.

The predator argued the allegations of rape were false and the sex consensual.

But the jury delivered unanimous guilty verdicts after deliberating for five hours, prompting Silver to shout inaudibly from the dock, as his brave victims watched from the public gallery.

One woman told jurors Silver barged inside her home and threw his hands around her throat: “I was scared I thought I was going to pass out - he was squeezing so tightly.

“I just said please don’t do this, as I realised what was coming.”

His second victim told officers after she was attacked: “I told him ‘no, just get off me - but he had sex with me.’”

Prosecutors told jurors Silver “takes what he wants” and pointed to strings of texts between the victims discussing the attacks.

'Having been convicted of raping two women I’m afraid there is only one type of sentence that can follow...'

Martin Yale described one message as reading: “He can’t get away with it, he is a danger to any woman, and I wouldn’t forgive myself if I didn’t say anything.”

“If he wants something for his sexual gratification he will take it, whatever anyone else says or does to stop him,” the barrister went on.

“They are not making these allegations up, the texts are supportive of the rapes and how the victims describe them.

“They are not at all supportive of fabrication by these two women.”

Jurors heard the grim extent of Silver’s offending was laid bare after his first victim reported him to police after suffering neck injuries.

A police probe discovered messages on devices alluding to a second victim, and so Kent Police extended its investigation.

Silver, of College Road, was found guilty of three counts of rape and two counts of assault by penetration.

He was acquitted of a separate count of rape.

Ordering Silver to remain in custody until his sentencing date, Judge Simon James said: “Having been convicted of raping two women I’m afraid there is only one type of sentence that can follow.”

Told probation would need to speak with him for a report into statutory dangerousness, Silver replied: "You're not getting anything from me mate."

Silver, who was supported by friends in the public gallery throughout the trial, will appear at the same court on December 10.

To read more of our in depth coverage of all of the major trials coming out of crown and magistrates' courts across the county, click here.

For information on how we can report on court proceedings, click here.