Rapist Who Pretended to Be Gay to Win Women's Trust Sentenced

A British man who falsely claimed he was gay as part of a scheme to lure women into his trust, then rape them, has been sentenced to 12 years imprisonment, according to Pink News and the BBC.

Christopher Bridger was a paramedic and ambulance driver for Britain's National Health Service when three women came forward with allegations that Bridger had sexually assaulted him. One of Bridger's victims is a lesbian who was attacked at a hotel after a work Christmas party. According to reports, he took advantage of the fact that the woman had gotten drunk at the party.

Bridger, 25 of Hertfordshire, England, claimed he was innocent and that the women were lying. Nevertheless, he was convicted of rape and other sexual offenses by a jury of seven men and four women, reports the BBC.

"Bridger is a sexual predator who targeted vulnerable women he worked and studied with under the pretense that he was gay," an investigating officer told the BBC. "He would become close to his young female victims, who believed he was their friend, taking them into his confidence and then sexually assaulting them when they were drunk."

The Metropolitan Police's Detective Constable Claire Hastings, who is assigned to the agency's Sexual Offenses, Exploitation and Child Abuse Command commended Bridger's victims for coming forward.

"These were traumatic incidents for the victims and they have showed an immense amount of courage in coming forward and reporting their experiences," said Hastings, who was aided by Surrey Police in the investigation.

Bridger is expected to serve at least six years behind bars, followed by formal parole if he is released before his 12-year sentence is complete.