62-yr-old college principal jailed for 15 yrs for raping student

London, Dec 7 (ANI): A principal for a secretarial college in Britain has been jailed for 15 years after he was found guilty of repeatedly raping one of his own students in an "appalling abuse of power".

James Safo, 62, subjected the woman to 18 months of terror, even threatening to have her deported if she resisted.

Safo, a regular churchgoer, ran four nursing homes as well as the Secretary College in Croydon, Surrey, which was aimed at students from Africa.

He posed as a successful businessman and tried to compare himself to Lord Sugar, star of BBC's The Apprentice.

But in reality, he was a monster who "controlled, degraded and systematically sexually abused" his 30-year-old victim.

Croydon Crown Court heard she was even raped while she was pregnant - savagery that probably caused a miscarriage.

Ghana-born Safo, of Kenley, Surrey, was also landlord to the victim, who felt she had to submit or be evicted. He was found guilty of rape, attempted rape and sexual assault between June 2007 and December 2008.

The jury failed to reach verdicts on charges relating to two other women.

"There cannot be a more serious abuse of power. The rapes and attempted rape were violent," the Daily Express quoted Judge Simon Pratt as saying.

Detectives, who fear Safo may have attacked many more women, described the sexual abuse as "appalling and calculated". (ANI)