:: Romaine Blackwood appealed this conviction and on February 8 it was quashed by the Court of Appeal.

A BROCKLEY man has been jailed for seven years for the rape of a 24-year-old woman in New Eltham.

Romaine Blackwood, of Claxton Path, was found guilty and sentenced at Croydon Crown Court on Friday (March 25) for the rape of a woman on September 18 last year at around 6am.

Jurors heard the victim had left an address where she was with a friend and other people she did not know.

Blackwood, aged 27, followed her as she walked along Southwood Road towards New Eltham Station to meet her step-father.

She told Blackwood to leave her alone and said she would walk on her own.

He then took his coat and put it over the victim's shoulders. She believed he was up to no good.

They approached an alleyway in between two houses. Blackwood then grabbed the woman, pulling her down the alleyway with his hand over her mouth.

She tried to fight him off and hold onto a brick wall where she received injuries to her hands.

Once in the alleyway Blackwood said to her “Let me do my thing".

He then raped her causing injuries to her body.

Blackwood let her go and the woman walked to New Eltham Station to meet her step-father and immediately told him she had been raped.

Blackwood was arrested two days later and interviewed at Lewisham Police Station but denied the offence.

Detective Constable Peter Thompson, from the Sapphire team at Greenwich and Bexley said: "This was in effect a stranger rape. The victim was walking to meet her step-father when she was suddenly grabbed around the mouth, pulled down an alley and raped.

"She showed tremendous levels of bravery and courage throughout the investigation and was always fully supportive.

"I hope this result goes someway in helping her come to terms with what was an extremely traumatic event.”

He added: “I urge any person who has been the subject of any sexual assault to come forward and report to the police. We leave no stone unturned in our pursuit for justice."