A FORMER New Forest traffic warden has been found guilty of rape, eight years after the incident took place.

Anthony Hunt raped the married woman, who can't be named for legal reasons, after following her to her home after the Fordingbridge Show in 1995.

Winchester Crown Court heard how Hunt, 60, had been invited in for a cup of tea by the victim, but ambushed her as she came out of her upstairs toilet.

He then forced her into her bedroom and committed a sexual act on her before raping her on the marital bed.

Hunt, formerly of Southampton but now living in Blandford St Mary in Dorset, had denied the charge but was found guilty by jurors on a majority of 10-2 after more than seven and a half hours of deliberating.

Hunt's wife and son were in court to hear the verdict and a stern warning from the judge that he now faces prison.

Throughout the two-week trial, the defence had claimed Hunt was incapable of forcing himself on anyone because of an abnormally small penis and medical problems.

Diabetes was also said to have stripped him of a lot of his sexual prowess, meaning sex for him could only be a mutual act.

However the jury disagreed with the defence case, choosing instead to believe the victim's version of events.

The woman, who lived in Totton at the time of the incident, said she had found Hunt waiting on her stairs when she came out of the toilet and he then advanced on her, telling her he was going to 'give her a good seeing to'.

Hunt was then said to have forced her back on to her marital bed before raping her.

She added that she had kept the incident secret until telling a friend quite recently, because she had destroyed most of the evidence, such as DNA, out of shame immediately after the event.

Judge Guy Boney told Hunt: "The jury have convicted you of this offence and you must know in due course there is only one sentence this court can possibly give you."

However, he added that out of compassion for Hunt's circumstances and because he was a man of previously good character, he would grant him bail with conditions until the sentence date.

Sentencing takes place on Monday, December 8.