A convicted rapist who blackmailed his victim into submission, threatening to ruin her and to be “the most…savage man on earth” in doing so, has had his eight-year jail term confirmed on appeal.

Judgment was handed down on Wednesday morning against David Xuereb, 49, who was declared guilty of violent rape, violent indecent assault as well as stalking and harassing his victim, causing her to fear violence whilst threatening to spill the beans to her partner if she dared break off their ‘relationship.’

The case dated back to 2016 when the two first met, chatted and then struck a friendship, meeting for a coffee after Xuereb contacted the woman through Facebook.

She welcomed his company at a time when she was going through a rough patch.

But when the friendship took an intimate turn and Xuereb’s attention began to verge on obsession, the situation took a negative twist.

All the woman’s attempts to break off contact with Xuereb, proved futile and his sexual demands persisted, accompanied by threats to ruin her and tell her partner about their affair if she ever dared “back off.”

Over a span of months, the woman was forced to meet up with him, succumbing to his sexual demands against her will, telling him repeatedly before each encounter, that she would only go along with him to prevent him from telling her partner.

Matters came to a head when Xuereb’s girlfriend messaged the victim’s sister under a fake Facebook profile, sending images of the victim having sex with the accused.

That message in September 2017 was the ‘breaking point” that finally triggered the victim to take action by filing a report at the Valletta police station.

Last year, Xuereb was found guilty by a Magistrates’ Court and condemned to an 8-year effective jail term as well as a 3-year treatment and restraining order.

When delivering judgment, Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech had observed that the ordeal had harmed the victim both psychologically and emotionally.

Moreover, the accused was a recidivist and as evidenced by his chequered criminal record, had wasted all chances previously granted by the courts.

Xuereb filed an appeal.

When handing down judgment on Wednesday morning, the Court of Criminal Appeal, presided over by Madam Justice Edwina Grima, turned down the appeal, confirming the conviction and the punishment.

AG lawyer Etienne Savona prosecuted. Lawyer Alfred Abela represented the victim.