A SERIAL rapist is facing life in prison after the Court of Appeal increased his sentence.

Romeo Cummins, 47, was originally sentenced to 13 years in prison at Winchester Crown Court in August, after pleading guilty to 16 counts of rape, one sexual assault and five drugs offences, committed across north Hampshire.

But his sentence was increased to life after being referred to the Court of Appeal by attorney general, Jeremy Wright QC.

Cummins, from Basingstoke, admitted the sexual offences against five women, who he targeted between 2013 and 2016 in north Hampshire.

The offending came to light in February this year when officers arrested Cummins after he was stopped and searched in Aldershot, the court heard.

He was found in possession of drugs, including crack cocaine and heroin, and sleeping tablets and prescription medicine.

When officers examined his phone, they found more than one hundred videos which contained footage of the sexual offences. It was clear from the footage that the women might not have known they had been sexually assaulted, the court heard.

Detective Constable Paul Jarrett, from Aldershot CID, said: "He preyed upon vulnerable females convincing them he had their best interests at heart.

"Nothing could have been further from the truth, with him abusing their trust to sexually assault and film what he had done to them, whilst they were in an unconscious state.

"Due to the bravery of his victims, they were able to endure the traumatic experience of being told and shown what he had done to them.

"Their courage has stopped him from continuing his serial sexual abuse and prevented him from doing this to others."

After the original hearing, one of the victims, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, said: "When I found out I felt completely numb and sick – I went through a whole range of unpleasant feelings in the space of five minutes.

"Since then I have completely withdrawn. I would like to say I have stayed strong but it’s been a difficult few months."