A former Sunday Telegraph journalist has been jailed has been jailed for raping a woman.

Ben Leapman, 44, formerly of Eynsford, was convicted of child porn charges last year and was found guilty of rape on Friday (July 11). 

He was also acquitted of two further rape charges.

The nine-day trial followed Leapman's suspended sentence last year for having illegal material on his laptop but reporting restrictions prevented the full story of his conviction being known.

The court heard how police raided his house on November 26, 2012, after which his marriage broke down and he resigned from his job.

The rape allegations were made by a women a few months later.

Cambridge-educated Leapman, who was instrumental in exposing the MPs' expenses scandal when he was deputy news editor at the Sunday Telegraph, is now on benefits and has not seen many members of his family since.

Judge Martin Joy summed up the case from the prosecution and defence on Thursday (July 10) before the jury retired to consider its verdicts on Leapman, who now lives in Vauxhall.

Judge Joy told the court: "The alleged victim said she confided in a friend, who said 'this is wrong'.

"The friend also allegedly said: 'There is a word for what's happening to you and it's rape'."

The court heard how the alleged victim had said in her testimony: "I had two conversations with him in 2012 and I told him, 'you were forcing yourself on me and you were rough' and he laughed it off and said, 'don't be ridiculous'.
"A few days later he apologised for being rough."

Judge Joy also recapped the evidence from Leapman, who denies the allegations.
Leapman had told the jury: "I never forced her.

"She said in a phone conversation, 'you know I could say you raped me'.

"It was shocking and chilling and I was staggered.

"These are wicked, disgusting lies."

The court heard police discovered logs of online conversations Leapman had taken part in with strangers in chatrooms which focused on rape and sexual violence.

Leapman told the court: "I have not seen some of my family since the police raided my home over the illegal material. This has been a desperate situation.

"I resigned from my job shortly after and am now on benefits."

Leapman has been remanded in custody but a date for sentencing has not yet been fixed.