A TEENAGER has been jailed for the rape of a woman after a night out in Bridgwater.

Iosif Constantin, 19, of Monmouth Street in Bridgwater, was sentenced to four years in prison at Taunton Crown Court today (Friday, August 3).

The incident happened overnight between Saturday, May 12 and Sunday, May 13 this year.

The victim and her friend met Constantin during a night out at The Palace nightclub in Bridgwater, the victim's friend became intimate with him, even having consensual intercourse with him in the ladies toilet, the court heard.

Prosecuting, Rachel Drake: "The three left the nightclub at 2.30am, purchased a kebab and went back to the victim's friends' house where the friend and Constantin had further consensual intercourse downstairs.

"The victim went upstairs to bed, and although she had consumed a quantity of alcohol, she carried out a normal routine, brushing her teeth, and getting changed into her pyjamas."

Ms Drake explained that approximately an hour later Constantin entered the bedroom, and sexually assaulted the victim while she was asleep.

When she awoke, she struggled to get Constantin away from her but he continued to force himself upon her and raped her, only ceasing and leaving when she managed to get reach her mobile phone.

Ms Drake said: "After texting a friend the victim fled from the house and called her father, who eventually found her clearly distressed, hugging a pillow by the motorway junction."

From the victim's interview, the police managed to identify the attacker on the nightclub's CCTV footage.

"The officers went back to the nightclub the following Saturday and by sheer coincidence the attacker was there, wearing the same clothes as the previous week," Ms Drake said.

Constantin tried to escape but was pursued and swiftly apprehended by the police.

He was arrested, and subsequent investigation found a DNA match. He pleaded guilty at the first opportunity in court.

In mitigation, Patrick Mason said Constantin was 'shocked and frightened by his own conduct' and was 'remorseful his actions'.

He explained that Constantin had come over to the UK from Romania when he was 18 and had been working as a chicken factory near Taunton.

"This is a man having a difficult time in prison and will carry this conviction with him for the rest of his adult life - rightly for doing the terrible thing that he did," Mr Mason said.

Sentencing, Judge Paul Cook told Constantin:"Your actions had left the victim distressed and traumatised, suffering anxiety and has affected her relationships with men."

Judge Cook sentenced Constantin to four years in prison, to sign the sex offenders' register for life and ordered him to pay £140 victim surcharge.