The stranger in the red cap who destroyed a woman's life

A horrified woman woke to find a stranger raping her in her bed. She went to sleep following a night out, before realising she was being attacked.

The woman woke to find Karl Kablan in her bed. Wearing a distinctive red cap, he raped her before she screamed for help and pushed him away.

Kablan was seen pulling his trousers ups as he was chased away from the north Manchester flat by one of the woman's neighbours.

Try MEN Premium for FREE by clicking here for no ads, fun puzzles and brilliant new features

The 32-year-old denied rape, but was found guilty following a trial at Manchester Crown Court. He was jailed for 10 years.

Earlier, Rachel Faux, prosecuting, said the woman returned from a night out one night last year. She spoke to her neighbours, noticing Kablan, who was wearing a red hat.

The woman had a cigarette, before going to bed. The door, the court heard, wasn't 'secured' after a neighbour she was chatting to left.

"She went to sleep at around 3am, still fully clothed, then woke up to find the defendant on top of her," Ms Faux said. The victim screamed loudly whilst pushing him away."

The woman's screams were heard by a neighbour. She told them: "He's just raped me." When Kablan was caught, a neighbour said: "You've not even pulled your pants up, you dirty b*****d."

Kablan's trainers were found by police by the woman's bed, as well as a red cap, which was later forensically linked to him. The court heard two weeks earlier, he had 'sought out' the woman, knocking on her door, but walked away.

Kablan has no previous convictions. In a statement, the victim said she is now homeless - unable to return to the flat. The court heard she is living in a women's refuge.

"I constantly have nightmares," she wrote.