A 38-year-old man has been sentenced to 25 years for a series of brutal rapes committed against two women in Portsmouth and Gosport over a 10-month period. Louis Charles Cann of Rampart Row, Gosport, will serve 20 years in prison followed by an extended 5-year licence period.
A man has been sentenced following his conviction for nine counts of rape at Salisbury Crown Court. Matthew Cann was found guilty on June 5, 2024, after a trial that began on May 13. The court heard that the assaults took place between February 1 and December 17, 2022. Both victims were known to Cann.
During the trial, disturbing evidence was presented, shedding light on Cann’s abusive behaviour. One victim was filmed while being raped as she slept, while another was subjected to verbal abuse, threats of violence, and physical assault when she refused Cann’s sexual advances.
At the sentencing on August 22, His Honour Judge Adam Feest KC strongly condemned Cann’s actions, noting the “humiliation, degradation, blackmail, and manipulation” used during the attacks. The judge emphasized the impact on the survivors, describing how one victim was treated “like a rag doll.” He also highlighted the lasting trauma inflicted on the victims.
Cann was given a lengthy prison sentence and issued a lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Order. He will also be required to register as a sex offender for life.
Detective Sergeant Samantha Brown, from Operation Amberstone, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary’s specialist sexual offences team, praised the courage of the victims, stating: “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.”
DS Brown encouraged other survivors of sexual violence to come forward, assuring them that “You will be believed, and we will do everything in our power to bring offenders to justice.
