Californian rapist who boasted of his friendship with Leonardo DiCaprio and Natalie Imbruglia is warned he faces 'the gravest sentence imaginable' for attacking British mother-of-two 20 years ago 

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Californian Pierre Bate, 42, broke into the victim's home in Thornton Heath, south London, in 1996 while her two children were sleeping

A rapist who boasted in court of his friendship with Leonardo DiCaprio and Natalie Imbruglia is facing jail for attacking a mother-of-two twenty years ago.

Californian Pierre Bate, 42, broke into the victim's home in Thornton Heath, south London, in 1996 while her two children were sleeping.

He put on a fake Irish accent as he threatened to kill the woman and harm her children before repeatedly assaulting her over several hours.

Bate was linked to the attack in 2011 after improvements in DNA technology found a match to his profile.

He was extradited from the US earlier this year to stand trial at Southwark Crown Court in London but insisted he was the victim of a 'perfect storm'.

Bate bragged of supposed links to Hollywood and even brought former Jamiroquai drummer Nick Van Gelder to give evidence.

Mr Van Gelder appeared to support Bate's claims that they had partied with Oscar-winning star DiCaprio.

Bate also told jurors that he had previously dated singer Natalie Imbruglia - though the truth of this has not been confirmed.

The jury were not swayed by his claims and convicted him of eight counts of rape and one of burglary.

Judge Jeffrey Pegden QC told Bate: 'You have been convicted by unanimous verdicts of this jury on the basis of what appears to me to be plain and compelling evidence that you committed these rapes and this burglary.

'You face the gravest sentence imaginable and a very very long sentence of imprisonment.'

Bate shrugged and said 'oh wow thanks' when the judge told him he would adjourn sentencing until next month.

The rapist added: 'This is a kangaroo court - this has been an absolute joke.'

Following the verdicts the court also heard an impact statement written by the victim in March this year.

She spoke of how the rapes had affected her physical and mental health and specifically thanked DS Karen Bradley who had helped her through the case since 2011.

In the statement she wrote: 'I was numb, vacant, scared and angry.

'It has been 20 years of insomnia - sleep deprivation is torture.

'It has changed me as a person - I was always happy, outgoing and had plans but since this I have become a recluse.

'This man has ruined my life and the lives of my children for the last 20 years.

'I have never felt safe or relaxed since the day this man chose to rape me and assault me.'

The court heard the victim had noticed a number of strange things happening around the house in the days leading up to the attack on 22 July 1996.

Bate told jurors that he had previously dated songstress Natalie Imbruglia (left) and had partied with American actor Leonardo DiCaprio (right)

She found a kitchen knife lying next to her bed and her patio doors open and noticed that a packet of Rice Krispies was missing.

The woman was so scared she stored a knife in her bedroom in case of emergency.

Bate was 22 years old and lived about 100 yards away at the time of the attack.

James Dawes, prosecuting, said: 'Twenty years ago now on July 22, 1996 a violent and brutal rape was committed by a burglar, a house burglar, on a woman who was asleep in her home.

'It was terrifying - the rapist broke into her house at night and raped her repeatedly in different ways.

'Her children were asleep in the house.

'About 1.15am she rolled over, half asleep, and sensed that something was wrong in the room.

'She opened her eyes and saw a man squatting on her make-up counter, right next to her bed.

'He was a stranger to her and he turned his head and he looked straight at her.'

The woman tried to grab the knife but Bate was too quick and her 'pinned her arms down and tried to twist her head away so she couldn't see his face'.

Bate told the woman: 'My mate is in the room with the kids so just do what I am telling you to do.'

He then repeatedly raped the victim but refused to answer when she asked why it was happening.

At one point he told her: 'I would love to have this conversation but I can't, my pet. If it had been in different circumstances.'

Bate was finally linked to the attack after a further sample taken from the scene was tested as part of routine procedure for unsolved cases.

'It was compared against the reference sample for Pierre Bate and there was a direct match with Mr Bate,' said Mr Dawes.

'In the opinion of the scientist it is one billion times more likely that the person who put that semen there was Pierre Bate.'

Bate, who has a conviction for indecent assault, will be sentenced at Southwark Crown Court on August 12.