A BARROW man has been jailed for 12 years for raping two people at his flat.

One man had a blade held to his throat before being subjected to the terrifying ordeal at Kenneth Cardy’s “party flat” in Low White Close.

Preston Crown Court heard people would drink and stay for days on end and his first victim thought of Cardy as a friend.

But in the summer of 2014 Cardy, 54, turned nasty when the man visited his flat.

Eric Lamb, prosecuting, said: “Cardy got a potato peeler from the kitchen, held it to the man’s throat and dragged him to the bedroom.”

Following the attack Cardy told the man he loved him and said they were now partners.

The man was left trembling after his knifepoint ordeal and did not tell anyone but Cardy carried on as if nothing had happened.

The same year a woman met Cardy and thought he was a great man, the court heard.

She stayed at the flat but when Cardy told her he wanted her to have his children, she did not feel the same.

Mr Lamb said: “It was cold in the flat and Cardy persuaded her to get into his bed to keep warm, then he was kissing and touching her and would not take no for an answer.”

Cardy went on to rape her as she tried to push him away but he was too strong.

He was arrested and interviewed on February 13, 2015, when he told officers the man had been at his flat but there had been no sexual activity and the woman had consented to having sex with him.

He denied both counts of rape but was convicted after a trial.

While police investigated the allegations, two of Cardy’s friends, Arthur Howard, 83, and his carer Sean Mills, 40, tried to convince the man to withdraw his statement.

He was offered money and driven to the police station and solicitor’s office but he held his resolve and Howard and Mills were convicted of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Judge Stuart Baker, sentencing, told Cardy: “You have insufficient regard for other people’s personal choice to say yes or to say no.

“You intrude upon other people for your own gratification.”

He also handed Mills and Howard, both of Ramsey Park, Barrow, a 12-month sentence each, suspended for two years, with a six-month curfew.

Speaking after the sentence, Detective Sergeant Wayne Dixon, of Cumbria police, said: “There is no excuse for the unthinkable actions of Cardy and I am glad that he is now facing a significant sentence for his crimes.

“Rape and sexual offences have a huge impact on victims and their families and I hope that for the two brave victims in this case, today’s sentencing offers some sort of closure.

“The actions of Mills and Howard could have led to a rapist remaining on our streets.

“Attempting to pervert the course of justice is a very serious crime and only makes the ordeal even more traumatic for the victims.

“I would like to take this opportunity to urge anyone who has been a victim of a sexual offence to come forward and report it to police. A victim can be reassured that their case will be investigated professionally and sensitively.”