A CONVICTED rapist who assaulted a vulnerable woman in Birkenhead nine days after being freed on licence has been jailed for 18 years.

Jermaine Hussie, described by a judge as "a danger to women", was sentenced to 14 years behind bars with an extended licence of four years.

The 34-year-old Jamaican had received a six year jail sentence in July 2014 for rape and a sexual assault on another woman and was released on March 20 last year.

Eight days later Hussie, calling himself JJ, approached a young mum at Birkenhead bus station and after asking personal questions pestered her into giving him her phone number.

The very next evening another young woman, who has learning difficulties, was also approached at the bus station by JJ.

After walking around and chatting they ended up in the car park of the Wirral Christian Centre near Balls Road in Birkenhead said David Polglase, prosecuting.

They engaged in consensual kissing but Hussie then twice raped her despite her objections to his behaviour.

The next day she told her support worker what had happened and the police were alerted.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that the police circulated details of the attacker on Facebook and the woman he had pestered the day before the rapes contacted officers to help identify him.

Hussie was living in a bail hostel in Great Howard Street, Liverpool, at the time and staff there also assisted police with information about him and he was arrested on May 19.

The defendant denied the rape attack claiming - as he had with the earlier rape offence - that he had been set up and they were malicious allegations.

He claimed that the woman had wanted to have sex with him and had started the sexual activity.

He was, however, convicted of two rapes after a trial.

Jailing Hussie, who stood in the dock shaking his head and muttering 'no', Judge Conrad said he was satisfied that he had been aware she was vulnerable.

She had been described as childlike and appearing younger than her age.

"You have shown no remorse in respect of this or in respect of the previous matter.

"Your attitude as expressed to the police and the psychiatric report is that you have been set up by the victims concerned.

"That attitude reinforces my view that you represent a danger to women.

"The evidence in the present case showed that you had earlier been on the prowl in the vicinity looking for a woman to target and engaged one women in conversation thereby making her feel uncomfortable.

He continued: "You are, to put it shortly, a danger to women - as evidence by these offences, your record and your attitude."

Louise Santamera, defending, said that Hussie, who will have to serve two thirds of the custodial term before he can apply for parole, does not accept his conviction.

She said he claims he is a Jamaican national who is here unlawfully after overstaying a visitors visa in 2005 and wants to be deported back.

However his antecedent record shows he was born in London.

Judge Conrad awarded £500 from public funds to the woman whose help led to Hussie's identification and commended her public spirited action.