A man has been jailed after he was found guilty of two counts of rape in Sussex.

Carlo Di Tella, 46, stood trial accused of the rapes on a woman known to him in St Leonards.

The victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, received support from specialist officers.

She has been praised for her bravery and courage during the trial process at Lewes Crown Court.

The court was told how Di Tella had targeted the woman while she slept.

The offences happened in January 2023, and the victim reported her experience to the police.

At Lewes Crown Court on 16 January, Di Tella, of Bohemia Road, St Leonards, was sentenced to six years in prison for each count of rape, to run concurrently.

The court also imposed a ten-year restraining order on Di Tella and he has been placed on the sex offenders register.

In a statement, the victim said she has lived with the fear of seeing Di Tella in the community, and said the rapes have had a “devastating” impact on her life.

She described the “emotional rollercoaster” of the case, and said: “I will live with this ordeal for the rest of my life.”

Investigating officer PC Sally Smith said: “This was a complex investigation and we were determined to get justice for the victim who was extremely brave and courageous when she reported the rape almost three years ago.

“She continued to support the investigation through the trial process. It shows we take reports of rape extremely seriously, and we encourage victims of rape and serious sexual offences to report their experience to the police.”

More information about help and support available to victims of rape and sexual assault is available online here.

More details about how Sussex Police investigates reports of rape and sexual assault is online here.