A Westmeath chef who raped a young woman after telling her he was gay and inviting her to a party at his flat has been jailed for six years.

Samir Mansour (48) with a current address at The Lock, Market Point in Mullingar was convicted by a jury following two retrials.

The woman (20) went back to Samir Mansour's apartment for a party after meeting him at a nightclub. She told him she was gay and he replied that he too was gay, but she did not believe him.

Back at his apartment he made her an omelette, told her his friends were not coming and then became, in her words, 'terrifying' as she tried to leave.

He grabbed her, forced her into a bedroom and raped her - and then asked if they could be friends.

He was tried in 2012 and convicted of four charges including false imprisonment but the guilty verdicts were found to be unsafe on appeal.

A jury last year failed to agree on the rape charge but last week he was found guilty following a second retrial.

Mr Justice Barry White has imposed a seven year sentence with one year suspended.

The judge took into consideration the violent nature of the attack and the deep lasting effect it has had on the victim.