Cricketer Alex Hepburn jailed for five years for rape

Hepburn, 23, was sentenced at Hereford Crown Court on Tuesday following his conviction on one count of oral rape earlier this month

Former Worcestershire allrounder Alex Hepburn has been jailed for five years after being found guilty of rape.

Hepburn, 23, was sentenced at Hereford Crown Court on Tuesday following his conviction on one count of oral rape earlier this month.

He will remain on the sex offenders' register for life.

Hepburn's trial revealed that he had been part of a sexual conquest "game" which had been set up in a WhatsApp group, and had been trying to sleep with the most women on the night of the offence in April 2017.

The jury at Worcester Crown Court heard his victim wrongly believed she was having sex with his then-Worcestershire teammate Joe Clarke until Hepburn spoke in his Australian accent.

Addressing Hepburn at his sentencing hearing on Tuesday, Judge Jim Tindal described the episode as a "pathetic sexist game to collect as many sexual encounters as possible".

"You probably thought it was laddish behaviour at the time," he added. "In truth it was foul sexism.

"It demeaned women and trivialised rape - a word you personally threw around lightly.

"Only now do you realise how serious rape is."

Hepburn's victim described his actions as "evil" and a "heinous crime" during a victim impact statement. His barrister, Michelle Heeley QC, said Hepburn was remorseful for the incident.