A RAPIST who imprisoned a woman in his bedroom and threatened to slit her throat cried as he was sentenced to ten years in prison.

Gheorghe Ilie raped, humiliated and attacked the woman, a sex worker, with a wooden stick after she refused to have sex with him at his home in Middlesbrough last October.

Teesside Crown Court heard the pair agreed to some sexual activity, but the 32-year-old bit the woman on the face and hit her when she told him she didn’t want to take things further.

The Romanian national then locked the woman in his bedroom and raped her – but the attack was recorded on the victim’s phone after she attempted to ring 999.

Wearing a grey jumper and appearing via video link from Durham Prison, Ilie wiped away tears with his sleeve as he was told he could face deportation after his ten-year prison sentence.

Judge Peter Armstrong said: “You used violence against her to subject (her to) the rape. She sustained injuries. You bit her on the face, you hit her and grabbed and forced her on the bed. You removed all of her clothing, forced yourself upon her and had sex with her.

“She was trying to get away from you but you threatened her. You said you and your brother were crazy and would cut her throat.

“There was a knife in the bedroom where you’d taken her. She threw it out of the window in fear.”

The court heard he swung a large wooden cosh at the woman as she tried to escape but missed hitting her across the head.

Judge Armstrong said: “For eight minutes the rape was recorded.

“Anyone who listened to that recording which was heard in the trial cannot have been but disturbed by the noise of the rape taking place. It was clear she was highly distressed throughout.”

Shaun Dodds, prosecuting, said the attack has left the vulnerable woman too afraid to leave her home.

But Paul Newcomb, defending, asked for a reduced sentence and said the 32-year-old, who has no previous convictions, is of good character.

He said: “Being in prison is not easy for him. He speaks very little English and usual pastimes such as watching TV and reading a book are not available to him.

“He’s having a miserable time inside. Although some people would say that should be so given what he has done but it is harder for him giving he is not an English national.

“He said he just wants to go home to Romania.”

But Judge Armstrong refused to give Ilie, of Harford Street, Middlesborough, a reduced sentence and handed him ten years in prison for rape, false imprisonment and possession of an offensive weapon.