Richard Bangoura, 40, has been sentenced after raping a 71-year-old woman

A man who forced his way into an elderly woman’s home in Melbourne’s southeast and raped her before threatening to ‘cut her up’ if she called the police has been jailed.

A man who raped an elderly woman at knifepoint after breaking into her bayside home – and then threatened to “cut her up” if she called the cops – has been jailed.

Richard Bangoura, 40, was sentenced in the County Court on Wednesday to 11 years and six months behind bars, with a non-parole period of eight years, after a jury in August found him guilty of two counts of rape.

The court heard the 71-year-old woman, who cannot be named, was walking home from her local pokies in the early hours of November 2, 2018, as Bangoura lay in wait.

While she unlocked the front door to her home in Melbourne’s southeast, Bangoura grabbed her from behind, wielding a knife with a 30cm blade.

Bangoura was sentenced to 11 years and six months behind bars.

Judge George Georgiou detailed how her attacker – who had been at the same pokies venue – then pressed the knife against her ribs and said “don’t scream or I will stab you”.

After demanding the vulnerable woman undress and make her way to the bedroom, Bangoura proceeded to rape her while she cried out in pain.

When she attempted to escape by asking if she could go to the toilet, the rapist “humiliated” her by watching on.

He then forced her to return to the bedroom where he raped her again.

Once the sickening 30-minute assault was over, Bangoura smoked a cigarette as he prepared to leave.

“You told her that if she called the police, you will ‘come back and cut her up’,” Judge Georgiou said.

The court heard how the woman now sleeps with a knife in her bedroom to protect herself.

“If she sees anyone that reminds her of you, her stomach turns and the memory of what you did comes flooding back,” Judge Georgiou said.

“She continues to experience flashbacks.”

Bangoura told the elderly woman her could ‘cut her up’ if she called the cops. Picture: iStock

Bangoura also tormented the woman in the weeks after raping her, repeatedly attending her home and ringing the doorbell.

“Her seeing you through the peephole and recognising you as her assailant filled her with terror,” Judge Georgiou said.

“You did this on four occasions over the course of the following month.”

He said Bangoura, who was arrested in December 2018, “violated her right to feel safe in the community and in her own home”.

“She was, undoubtedly, entirely consumed by the fear that she may be hurt unless she compiled,” he said.

The jury also found Bangoura guilty of aggravated burglary, stalking and two counts of threatening to inflict serious injury.

The court heard the man has no previous criminal convictions but continues to deny he offended against the victim that night.

He will have his permanent visa cancelled and, upon release, may be deported back to Guinea.

With time already served, he will be eligible for parole in less than four years.

But Judge Georgiou said the Adult Parole Board will likely dismiss Bangoura’s bid for parole, since he will be facing deportation.