A man who repeatedly raped a woman at knifepoint, and threatened her by holding a knife to her young son's throat, has been jailed for 10 years.

Dariusz Giemza, 38, from Wisbech, forced his victim to have sex with him on several occasions, often holding a sharp kitchen knife to her throat to ensure she met his disturbing demands.

When the victim, a mother, would refuse to have sex with him, he would hold a knife to her child's throat and say that if she did not cooperate he would 'cut his head off.'

In addition to the abhorrent acts of rape, Giemza physically assaulted his victim, a woman in her twenties, sometimes leaving her unconscious as a result of the attacks.

Detective Inspector Kate Anderson, from the rape investigation team, said: 'I would like to recognise the survivor in this horrific case for her bravery in coming forward and speaking to the police about what happened to her.

'As a result of her courage in coming forward, and the hard work of officers, they have collectively ensured that Giemza was brought to justice.

'The recent #metoo campaign highlighted what I have long suspected: that many sexual offences crimes go unreported.

'I would like to encourage more people to come forward and to report to the police.

'We hope that this sentence delivers a clear message that sexual offences are a priority for the police, and we will continue to do all that we can to support survivors of serious sexual offences.'

Giemza, of Wisbech, was sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court on Friday March 2 after being found guilty of rape.