A RAPIST faces a “very long” time behind bars after a jury found him guilty.

Andrew Ford was convicted of coercive control and rape of a woman in Brighton.

The 23-year-old targeted the victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, on the day she returned from having an abortion.

Despite telling Ford she could not have sex, he forced himself upon her.

“I won’t be turned on by you any more,” he threatened.

At Hove Crown Court, Jennifer Gray, prosecuting, said Ford had punched the woman when she was pregnant then called the police to falsely accuse her of attacking him with a knife.

Ford used violence against her, undermined her confidence, controlled her and put her in a choke hold to show her he could overpower her, the court heard.

The jury found him guilty of both offences.

They were also told that Ford, formerly of Bramble Way, Stanmer Heights, Brighton, had admitted attempting to rape a second woman in Pavilion Gardens in the city on June 8 last year.

Jennifer Gray quizzed Ford about why he was seen walking around the streets of Brighton for two hours from 3.30am to 5.30am on that day.

He put the second woman in the same type of choke hold used on the first victim, and falsely imprisoned her.

Footage shown to the jury showed Ford dragging the woman into bushes in the park before attempting to rape her.

Ford’s image was shown in a media appeal by The Argus, and the first woman helped identify him to police.

She also then gained the confidence to report her ordeal to the police.

“I thought he would kill me,” she told jurors.

Ford was evasive when questioned in the witness box at Hove Crown Court about his behaviour.

The judge warned him four times that he must answer the questions put to him by Ms Gray.

Ford looked disgusted and shook his head as the verdicts were read out.

He wore a white shirt and had gelled his hair in a sharp haircut.

Judge David Rennie said: “I am satisfied that most people listening to the facts see he is a dangerous young man.”

He asked for a legal assessment as to whether Ford should serve a longer sentence.

Addressing Ford, the judge said: “You are going to prison. It is going to be a long sentence.

“You have caused irreparable harm to another woman.”

Ford will be sentenced next month.