A ”predatory sex offender” who followed a teenage girl 100 miles to Wirral and viciously attacked and raped her was today given a 19-year sentence.

Rashid Ulhaqdad, who has previously assaulted other women, was put behind bars for 14 years and given a five-year extended sentence after the judge ruled he was a danger and posed a significant risk of harm.

Judge Robert Warnock described the defendant as “dishonest and violent” and said he was in flagrant breach of an Anti-Social Behaviour Order.

“You are a predatory sex offender and there must be a custodial sentence of some length combined with an extended licence. You will serve two thirds of the custodial term,” he said.

Liverpool Crown Court heard the offences occurred after Ulhaqdad got the train to Birkenhead from his Birmingham home to meet the teenage girl.

They had initially met about a month earlier after he delivered food to her home in Birmingham and they kept in touch and he brought her cannabis, but they did not have sex.

After she told him she was visiting her sister he travelled up and brought alcohol with him which he drank and then started trying to kiss her.

She tried to get him to leave but he refused, saying he needed time to sober up.

He then hit her with an empty Jack Daniels' bottle and when she fell to the floor he was threatening to kill her and “she thought she was going to be killed,” said Ben Jones, prosecuting.

He hit her several times with the bottle and then grabbed her by the hair and started pushing her upstairs and onto a bed.

She was too weak to fight him off. He told her to go to the bathroom to clean the blood from her face and she locked herself in, feeling faint from her injuries.

When she did not let him into the bathroom he kicked the door down and again attacked her.

Eventually he began crying and apologising, said Mr Jones.

She secretly phoned police; on hearing them arrive she told him to leave by the back door - but then opened the front door to let officers in.

Ulhaqdad, 35, of Mead Crescent, Birmingham, pleaded guilty to three rape offences, two sexual assaults, assault and breaching an ASBO, which prevented him from arranging to meet women using his phone.

Phil Astbury, defending, said that the defendant was “having difficulty in coming to terms with his behaviour.”

POLICE RESPONSE:

Merseyside Police welcomed the sentencing.

Detective Inspector Paul Grounds from the Unity team said: “This was a shocking crime committed on a young woman.

"She has shown amazing bravery throughout the investigation and court process and it is due to her courage that we were able to bring Ulhaqdad to justice.

“Victims of sexual crimes should not suffer in silence.

"We offer support and advice through our specially trained officers from the force’s Unity team and can assist to support them throughout the process.

"I would encourage anyone who has been subject to one of these offences to come forward and speak to us.”

Anyone who wants to report a sexual offence can contact the unity team on 0151 777 1382.

Information can also be passed to crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.