Gosport man handed 25 year extended sentence for raping two women multiple times in Portsmouth and Gosport

A man who raped two women multiple times across a period of 10 months in Portsmouth and Gosport has received a 25 year sentence, comprising 20 years in prison and an extended 5 year licence period.

Louis Charles Cann, aged 38, was charged with 9 counts of rape following an investigation by Operation Amberstone – Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary’s specialist rape and serious sexual offence investigation team.

Cann denied the offences and the case went to trial on Monday 13 May this year at Salisbury Crown Court.

The court heard that the incidents occurred between 1 February and 17 December 2022 in the Portsmouth and Gosport areas. The two women were known to Cann.

In one instance, Cann filmed himself raping one of the women as she slept.The court heard that the women were manipulated by Cann, threatened with violence and verbally abused, and one of the women was physically assaulted by Cann when she said no to having sex with him.

Following the trial, Cann, of Rampart Row in Gosport, was found guilty of all the offences on Wednesday 5 June. Appearing at Salisbury Crown Court on Thursday 22 August he was sentenced to 20 years in prison, with an additional extended 5 year licence period.

He was also handed a lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), and was ordered to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for life.Passing sentencing, His Honour Judge Adam Feest KC remarked on the humiliation, degradation, blackmail and manipulation used by Cann in order to rape these women, with the judge noting that one of the women was treated ‘like a rag doll’.

HHJ Feest said: “Neither I nor anyone listening to this case can properly understand the long-lasting trauma, distress, and fear that your actions have caused.”

Detective Sergeant Samantha Brown, from the Operation Amberstone Team, said: “The level of sexual violence and abuse that these women have suffered at the hands of this awful man is truly shocking.

“These women were degraded, manipulated and assaulted in the most appalling way. Nonetheless, they have shown incredible courage in standing up to this cowardly individual, and because of their strength and bravery Cann will now spend a lengthy period of time in jail.

“We want anyone who has been affected by rape or sexual abuse to have the confidence to report this.

You will be believed and we will do everything in our power to bring offenders to justice.”If you have been affected by sexual abuse, you can report this to police in confidence by calling 101.

Not everyone who has experienced this type of abuse has the confidence to report to police. There are support services out there that can offer help to you, completely independent of the police, should you need support.

For more information on where to seek support, or how to make a report to police, please visit our website: https://www.hampshire.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/rsa/rape-and-sexual-assault/