A MAN has been sentenced to nine years in prison after being found guilty of three counts of rape in Amersham.

Martin Babak Lyon, 21, of Finchley Road, London was sentenced at Reading Crown Court yesterday for three counts of rape and one count of taking an indecent photograph of a child.

Following a trial at Aylesbury Crown Court, he was convicted by a jury on February 26.

The court heard he raped the victim, a 16-year-old girl at the time, at an address in Amersham on November 28, 2012.

He took photos of the victim, threatening to publish them on social media if she told anyone about his offences.

Investigating officer Det Con Thomas Gregory of Force CID based at Amersham said: "Thames Valley Police takes any allegation of sexual offences seriously and I would like to thank every officer who has helped to contribute to this investigation.

"The sentence given to Lyon demonstrates that the courts take incidents such as these very seriously. I hope the sentence brings some closure to the victim, who was only 16 at the time.

!She was incredibly brave to report the offences to the police and then to give evidence at court. I commend the victim for the courage she has demonstrated during this very traumatic period.

"I would also like to thank all the witnesses who have enabled Thames Valley Police and the Crown Prosecution Service to bring this dangerous man to justice."