A rapist who attacked a 15-year-old in her own bed deserved his 25-year sentence, said the Court of Appeal in a written ruling.

Tewolde Selassie, 30, had already been told on June 4 that he'd lost his appeal against his conviction and sentence.

In a written ruling rejecting his appeal, issued last week, the Court of Appeal judges said: "The enormity of the crime is such that we can see nothing wrong with the sentence of imprisonment for 25 years for the serious sexual assault.

"The courts must be seen to protect law-abiding citizens from such calculatedly vile attacks in their own homes."

Selassie was convicted in May last year of the burglary and serious sexual assault committed in January 2005.

His Supreme Court trial heard how he removed the air conditioning unit from the window of a house in Pembroke and buggered her and threatened to kill the teenager if she screamed.

He was linked to the crime by DNA evidence.