The family of a woman who was raped and locked in a cupboard for 15 hours said she died with a broken heart and her life was never the same again.

Wendell Baker, 56, of Upper Walthamstow Road, Walthamstow, was yesterday found guilty of the rape of Hazel Blackwell at her home in Stratford in 1997 under 'double jeopardy' laws and faces life in jail ahead of sentencing on Friday.

Mrs Blackwell died five years later in 2002.

A statement issued by the Backwell family said: “Hazel never got over her ordeal and the family believe she died with a very sad and broken heart.

“After the rape and attack her life was never to be the same again.

“This led to the last few years of her life being very lonely and sad and (her being) very afraid.”

Baker broke into Mrs Backwell’s home in Litchfield Avenue, Stratford, on January 23 1997, startling her in her bedroom.

He pulled her bed blankets over her head, tied her hands and began hitting the woman, 66 at the time, before raping her.

The statement also said: “Hazel’s life was completely changed after the rape and attack.

“She felt unable to stay in her own home due to fear.

“She then had to move into a warden-assisted flat.”

Mrs Backwell’s family said they were grateful that after 15 years the police and Crown Prosecution Service were able to bring the case to a satisfactory conclusion.

Baker was originally put on trial in 1999 but walked free after a judge ruled out crucial DNA evidence against him.

The law at that time stated that DNA of an individual could only be retained if they were convicted of a recordable offence, but Baker had been acquitted of a burglary offence.

The burglary sample should therefore have been destroyed, but remained on the database and showed a clear match with DNA from the rape.

There was only a one in 17 million chance that they were not from the same person.

The statement concluded: “On behalf of Hazel Backwell, the family are very pleased that justice has now been done but it is sad our mum is not here to witness the outcome.”