A BRAVE sexual abuse victim has spoken out after her attacker was convicted of repeatedly raping and controlling her.

Daniel Cox, of Albany Gardens, Colchester, was found guilty of three counts of rape, one count of engaging in controlling and coercive behaviour, and one count of false imprisonment at Ipswich Crown Court on Monday.

Cox, who denied all of the charges throughout the trial, was cleared of four offences of assault by penetration and making a threat to kill.

The jury convicted him of one of the rape offences unanimously and the other two by majority verdicts of 10-2 and 11-1.

The conviction came after the jury heard how Cox had threatened his victim with with a knife before putting his hands round her throat after locking her in his home.

Cox is also said to have told the woman, who he met on a dating website, how badly the knife could hurt her and squeezed her throat so tightly she struggled to breathe.

During the trial the jury also heard he had allegedly told the woman, who he met on a dating web site, he was a Mexican drug smuggler and liked to be known as “The Mexican”.

Following the conviction, the woman, who eventually managed to escape out of a window, bravely spoke out.

The woman, who is legally entitled to lifelong anonymity, offered advice with the hope of being able to help others who may find themselves in the situation she did.

She said: “If anyone is being told that it’s all your fault, I want you to understand it isn’t your fault and you shouldn’t feel guilty about anything.

“It’s important to know that it’s never too late to report something to the police.”

The victim was understandably fearful of Cox, but with the support of specialist officers, she supported the efforts of police officers to bring him to justice.

In court, the jury heard how Cox had made his victim’s life “a living hell”.

The 38-year-old is due to be sentenced at the same court on Wednesday.