A Norwich rapist is today behind bars after being convicted of multiple attacks on a teenage girl 30 years ago.

Richard Norman, 67, groomed the girl, then in her mid teens, in the early 1980s before luring her away from her family home in the Norwich area to London.

Norman, of Waterloo Road, Norwich, was jailed for 15 years at Ipswich Crown Court after being found guilty of multiple rapes and sexual assaults.

Det Sgt Martin James, described Norman as 'one of the most disturbing characters' he had ever met and said police are not ruling out that there may be other victims.

Norman befriended his teenage victim in 1982 at a time when she was not getting on well at school or home and persuaded her to go to London with him.

While there, under his control, she was raped on numerous occasions at homes of various friends and relatives. The victim felt powerless to return to her family.

When he finally brought her back to the county she remained in contact with him and was later subjected to further rape and sexual abuse, including holding her captive in a set of home-made wooden arm restraints.

The victim, now in her late 40s, eventually broke contact with Norman.

Norman was sentenced on Friday following a two-week trial after which he was convicted by a jury of two rapes in 1982, one rape in 1983, two sexual assaults in 1983 and one count of false Imprisonment in 1983.

He was sentenced to three 15 year jail terms, two years each for the indecent assaults and five years for the false imprisonment, all to be served concurrently. He will also be placed on licence when he starts his parole.

Speaking after the case, DS James, of Norfolk Constabulary's Rape Investigation Unit, praised the victim's bravery in coming forward and throughout the subsequent criminal proceedings.

He said: 'To have to relive these events such a long time after the original attacks must have been very traumatic for the victim. His was a manipulative and sustained attack on a teenage girl whom he had lulled into a false sense of security.

'Richard Norman is a very dangerous man and I hope his victim takes some comfort that he is now behind bars where he will remain for a considerable amount of time.'

During the police investigation it emerged that Norman, who has also lived previously in London's Greenwich and Grove Park, as well as Australia and New Zealand, used a string of aliases including Richard Wilson, Richard Shearsby, Warren Crozier, Richard Carter, Richard Nelson, Oliver Cohen and Maurice Carter.

Norman has previous convictions for kidnap, grievous bodily harm and assault against women.

The victim in this case continues to receive specialist support from the Harbour Centre, which is the Sexual Assault Referral Centre for Norfolk.

• Help and support for victims of sexual assault is also available 24/7 by calling The Harbour Centre, Norfolk's independent sexual assault referral centre, on 0845 456 4810.

Alternatively, if you would like to report a sexual offence or speak directly to a specially trained police officer, call Norfolk Constabulary on 101.

Have you got a crime story? Email peter.walsh@archant.co.uk