A woman has spoken out as a Lowestoft man was jailed for 12 years after being found guilty of three counts of raping her.

Stephen Waters, 46, of Princes Road in Lowestoft, appeared at Ipswich Crown Court today to be sentenced after being found guilty, following a trial, of three counts of rape.

The allegations came to light when the young woman contacted South Wales Police in March of last year, saying she had been raped by a man on three occasions several years earlier.

The incidents had occurred in Lowestoft and the details were passed to Suffolk Police's Operation Gemini team based in the town to investigate.

Following basic enquiries, Waters was arrested the same day the incident was reported to the Suffolk team.

He gave a 'no comment' interview but officers secured messages he had exchanged with the young woman, which made it clear he knew what he had done was wrong.

The young woman told police she had initially tried to fight him off and had frozen during the attacks.

Speaking after today's sentencing, the woman, who was a teenager at the time the incidents took place, said: 'Dealing with it on my own has been really hard but over the last year and a half, whilst the case has been ongoing, everyone involved have been outstanding.

'I was really worried at first that there wasn't going to be enough evidence as it happened so long ago.

'I'm now able to get on with my life after it being on hold for so long as I was struggling to cope with it badly.

'I've got the justice I deserve, thank you all involved.'

Officer in the case DC Darren Winchester said at the time of Waters conviction: 'The young woman has been extremely courageous in reporting what happened to her and her account and the evidence we secured during the investigation has led to a jury finding Waters guilty of three counts of rape.

'We would like to thank her for her bravery and integrity during the course of the investigation, and would also like to thank South Wales Police who assisted us with bringing Waters to justice.'