A TAVISTOCK man has been found not guilty of two rape charges by a crown court jury but has been given a four-and-a-half year prison sentence after admitting indecently assaulting the woman.

Frederick Frise, aged 47, of Cox Tor Road, had denied forcing his way into the woman?s flat, after spending the day drinking with her, and raping her twice in her bedroom.

But the jury at Plymouth Crown Court heard that Frise admitted he sexually assaulted the woman which judge William Taylor described as ?one of the worst attacks of its kind.?

Earlier the jury heard how a neighbour called police after hearing shouting from the woman?s flat on November 14 last year and that officers arrived to see the victim running from the house claiming she had been raped.

In evidence, Frise admitted that the woman had told him to get out of her flat, but that she had co-operated when he made sexual advances on her.

He said he was unable to fulfil sexual intercourse and that he did not rape her.

He said bruises found on her body could have been caused when she hurt herself while in drink.

After the jury had returned not guilty verdicts on the two rape charges, Judge Taylor told Frise?s defence barrister Nick Fridd that he didn?t believe a word his client had said.

The court then heard that Frise had a conviction in 1973 for indecent assault on a female child and convictions for assault in 1983 and 2002.

Mr Fridd said Frise had suffered an accident as a child which had led him to have a lifetime of difficulties.

He said Frise considered himself backward, had difficulty reading and difficulties in relationships.

He said drink had played a part in the indecent assault but that Frise had not drunk since.

But in sentencing Frise, Judge Taylor told him: ?When you had had too much to drink you befriended a young woman who had also had too much to drink.

?At her home I am quite satisfied you forced your way into her flat.

?You did not desist when asked to leave her alone and you dragged her to her bedroom where you threw her to the bed.?

Judge Taylor said the victim had 17 different injuries and that Frise had ?ruined her life.?

He said: ?This was a bad indecent assault. Assaults don?t come much worse than this.

?You attacked a young woman who was drunk and defenceless in her flat.?

As well as the four-and-a-half-year prison sentence he told Frise to sign on the sex offenders register and remain on it for life.