Man who raped Thornton Heath mum while her children slept next...

An American man who broke into a Thornton Heath woman's home and raped her while her children slept in the room next door has been jailed.Pierre Antoine Bate, of Santa Barbara, California, was handed a 24-year sentence for the the horrifying attack by Judge Jeffrey Pegden, QC at Southwark Crown Court today (Friday).The 42-year-old was convicted last month of attacking the woman in her home in the early hours of July 22, 1996.The US citizen was extradited from his home country earlier this year..