A 44 year-old man has been jailed for 14 years after being found guilty of rape, intentional strangulation, assault and threatening a person with an offensive weapon in a private place, following a four-day trial at Portsmouth Crown Court.

Jacek Piotr Pupiec, of Newcombe Road in Portsmouth was sentenced at the same court on Friday 8 August, where he was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life.

Pupiec was charged following an investigation into the assault and rape of a woman aged in her 30’s, who was known to him, at an address on Eastney Road in May 2023.

DC Ellie Light from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary’s specialist Operation Amberstone team said, “I am very happy to see Pupiec jailed for a considerable amount of time for his despicable crimes.

“I hope that this sentence, as well as the indefinite restraining order Pupiec received, will bring the victim some form of closure and a sense of justice for what she has been through.

“I would like to commend the victim for her bravery and thank her for her support throughout the investigation and court process.

“Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary take all allegations of rape and sexual assault extremely seriously and have specially trained teams that can investigate these kinds of offences and provide support to victims.

“We will not tolerate violence against women and girls in our communities, and it is our promise to anyone who comes forward to report that you will be believed and have the allegations taken extremely seriously.”

We want to encourage anyone who has been affected by any crime of a sexual nature to contact police on 101, where you can speak to an officer in confidence.

We recognise that not everyone has the confidence to talk to police about what they have experienced. Please be reassured that there are other services available that can offer you specialist support to help you deal with the impact of abuse.

For information and contact details relating to sexual abuse support services, you can visit our dedicated web page: https://www.hampshire.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/rsa/rape-and-sexual-assault/support-for-victims-of-rape-and-sexual-assault/