A disgraced former paramedic has been jailed for more than 20 years for multiple rapes and serious sexual assaults on women in his care.

Andrew Wheeler, 46, of Mill Green, Warboys, Cambridgeshire, worked as a paramedic in the East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST) and was convicted of the rape and sexual assault of the two women.

He was also found guilty of two counts of sexual assault of a child under the age of 13 in respect of a girl who was not a patient.

He was sentenced to 21 years in prison at Peterborough Crown Court on Friday. He was also made the subject of an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

The court heard the paramedic raped a patient in her own home and sexually assaulted another female patient in the back of his ambulance.

The defendant was on duty as a single crew paramedic in a rapid response car when he was called to help a collapsed woman in 2018.

When he arrived at the incident it became apparent that the woman was drunk, and the defendant sent away two other paramedics assuring them he had things under control.

The court heard he drove the woman to her own house where he raped and sexually assaulted her.

In a separate incident in 2010, Wheeler sexually assaulted a woman patient in the back of his ambulance.

The court heard he previously raped the woman in 2009 on an occasion when she was not a patient.

Judge Matthew Lowe said: "He's demonstrated that he's a manipulative sexual predator, willing to exploit for his own gratification the vulnerabilities of three separate (victims)."

Jennifer Dempster QC, mitigating, said Wheeler had no previous convictions and was someone who has done a "great deal of positive work in his life".

A Crown Prosecution Service spokesman Wheeler carried out the offences over a period of nine years.

Matt Golby, from the CPS, said: “Wheeler abused his position of trust to rape and sexually assault women over several years. Instead of providing essential care, he preyed on these women for his own depraved gratification."

Dr Tom Davis, interim chief executive at EEAST, said: “We are horrified by the accounts shared and thank all those who gave evidence for their bravery, which has resulted in the right course of justice.

“We took action to report, suspend and ultimately dismiss this individual when allegations came to light, and are grateful to our police colleagues for their support in pursuing the concerns of our organisation and our staff.”