Oxford rapist gets life in prison for 'horrific' attacks

Catalin Horhota carried out a series of sex attacks in Oxford last year

A rapist who carried out an "horrific" series of attacks on women in Oxford has been given a life sentence.

Catalin Horhota, of no fixed address, was found guilty of nine charges including rape and sexual assault.

Jurors heard the 42-year-old raped one woman inside a property and returned an hour later to again sexually assault her, having stolen a pair of keys.

Horhota was told he will serve a minimum of nine years and six months before he can be considered for parole.

He was convicted of rape, two attempted rapes, three sexual assaults, one count of assault by penetration, one count of exposure, and burglary.

He burgled a property in Morrell Avenue, opposite South Park in Oxford, on 17 September last year and stole food.

'Horrific'

Two days later he raped a woman at a nearby address in Headington. About an hour later he returned and sexually assaulted the victim again.

He then sexually assaulted another woman at the same address.

Then, on 20 September, Horhota sexually assaulted a woman in South Park by touching her inappropriately.

The final offence took place on 22 September when Horhota exposed himself in Abingdon.

Following Horhota's conviction, Det Con David Rogers said: "Although horrific, I would like to reassure members of the public the offences carried out by Horhota are rare."