A ROYAL Navy veteran has been jailed for ten years for the "wicked and unspeakable" rape of a 77-year-old Bradford pensioner in her own home.

David Lodge, 53, violated the dementia sufferer after pushing her down on her bed, Bradford Crown Court heard today.

He ignored her pleas for him to stop and then apologised to her afterwards.

Lodge, of St Martin's View, Brighouse, pleaded guilty to raping the pensioner on September 24 last year.

He was arrested after the confused and vulnerable victim told one of her professional carers that she'd had sex the previous day with her 'boyfriend', prosecutor Ian Howard said.

MORE TOP STORIES

The old lady, who suffered from mental health problems, "giggled like a naughty child" when she revealed what had happened to her.

The carer immediately reported her concern to her supervisor and the pensioner than repeated the claim to her doctor.

Mr Howard said she became very distressed and the police were alerted.

Lodge initially denied the rape but then confessed and was held in prison on remand.

Judge David Hatton QC sentenced him to an extended 15 year prison sentence. He will spend up to a decade behind bars and the next five years on closely monitored special licence.

He told Lodge, who wore a brown zipped jacket and blue jeans in the dock: "Words cannot describe the wickedness of that deed."

Judge Hatton said that, after reading probation and psychiatric reports, he was satisfied that Lodge posed a significant danger of serious harm to the public.

He told him: "You will not be released until the Parole Board directs, or until you have served the entirety of the ten year period."

Lodge must sign on the sex offenders' register for life.

Mr Howard said Lodge owned up to the rape in February, either out of conscience or because he "felt the net was closing".

Lodge's barrister, Sohail Khan, said he had no similar previous convictions.

"That is perhaps the only silver lining to this dark cloud, along with his guilty plea," Mr Khan said.

Lodge had spent nine years serving his country in the Royal Navy.

He despised himself and had shed tears when expressing his deep remorse to his psychiatrist.

Lodge had spent time in a mental health establishment shortly before the offence.

He was suffering from depression and anxiety.

"He was a rock bottom when he committed the offence," Mr Khan said.