Rapist back in jail after attack on family member

Jason O'Dell pleaded guilty to threatening a person with an offensive weapon in a private place

A convicted rapist attacked a family member and threatened to kill him with a knife just hours after being released from prison.

Jason O'Dell, 56, who had served about 12 years for rape, turned up at the family member's home in Longstanton, in Cambridgeshire, at about 17:30 GMT on 17 February.

Police said he demanded money to help him "get back on his feet" and when the victim refused, he grabbed a six-inch knife from a block and pinned the man against the worktop, threatening to "end him."

His victim managed to escape and O'Dell was jailed at Cambridge Crown court on 30 October for three years and 10 months.

Cambridgeshire Police said O'Dell's latest victim refused to help him with his money woes, citing abusive letters he had received from O'Dell while he was in prison.

O'Dell then said "you are disrespecting me, who do you think you are?".

He proceeded to pin his victim against a kitchen worktop threatening to kill him, police said.

The man pleaded for his life and agreed to talk about money, but O'Dell, still brandishing the knife, repeated his threats.

During a struggle, the victim managed to wrestle the knife from O'Dell's grip and another family member called the police.

'Dangerous individual'

O'Dell - who previously lived in Daisy Street in Wymondham, Norfolk - initially denied the charges made against him, but later pleaded guilty to threatening a person with an offensive weapon in a private place and making threats to kill.

Det Con Samuel Andrews, said: "O'Dell's actions caused considerable fear and distress for the victim, in his own home.

"O'Dell is clearly a dangerous individual who has a history of offending."

He was given a life sentence in 2013 after he beat and raped his girlfriend.

O'Dell attacked the 38-year-old woman at her Cambridge home, breaking her ribs and nose, before keeping her hostage at his Norfolk flat for two weeks.

She eventually managed to escape.

At the time, a spokesman from Cambridgeshire Police said O'Dell made the victim scrub her own blood from the floor to remove evidence of the assault.