A man, 21, will spend four-and-a-half years behind bars after being found guilty of raping a woman at a house gathering in Islington, north London.
Luke Douglas, of Old Street, was sentenced on Friday following his trial in July at Snaresbrook Crown Court.
On July 4, 2020 Douglas preyed on a woman who was one of a number of friends gathered at a home in Islington.
The victim was resting on a mattress on the floor about 4am when she was raped by Douglas, Metropolitan Police said.
Police were called to the home and the woman provided with specialist support.
Douglas was arrested later that day and charged with rape and sexual assault by penetration.
He was found guilty on both charges on July 27 this year.
The victim has been praised for her “strength and determination” by Detective Sergeant Sam Lockstone.
“My colleagues and I are totally committed to bringing to justice those men who commit sexual offences against women,” he said.
“I want to thank the victim in this case and praise the strength and determination that she has shown.
“I also want men to reflect on this case. A woman not being in a position to force you away from her does not represent consent. If you attempt to exploit a woman for sex in such a situation then you are raping that woman.”
Rape and other sexual offences reported to police in London hit a new record high after a huge surge in the number of victims coming forward over the past year, figures released in July revealed.
The Office for National Statistics said that 9,272 rapes were recorded in the capital in the year to the end of March.
That was up 24 per cent on the total for the previous 12 months and amounts to an extra 1,785 rapes being reported to the Met or City of London Police during the year.
“The latest figures may reflect a number of factors, including the impact of high-profile incidents, media coverage, and campaigns on people’s willingness to report incidents to the police, as well as a potential increase in the number of victims,” the statisticians said.
