Yorkshire rapist locked up after ‘destroying’ victim’s life with violent sex assaults

Paul Thwaites burned his victim with an iron and hair straighteners, assaulted her with a curtain rail and punched her repeatedly in the genitals.

Leeds Crown Court heard the 40-year-old put his arm around the victim’s throat until she passed out, before slapping her awake. He also forced her to perform oral sex and later tried to dismissed his behaviour as “role play”.

But Judge Robin Mairs told Thwaites: “You knew exactly what you were doing to her. This was not pushing sexual boundaries – this was sexual violence designed to denigrate.”

The court heard how he had joked that he was surprised about how well the woman could take a punch and suggested she start doing mixed martial arts. He also told the woman that “looked like Quasimodo” after he had hit her in the face.

In a victim impact statement read out to the court, the woman said: “Every sense of self-worth I had, he destroyed. I now live every day on the verge of a breakdown. Inside I am just dead. I could happily curl up into a ball and stop existing.”

Thwaites, of Leeds Road, Wakefield, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault by penetration, two counts of greivous bodily harm with intent and one of rape.

Mitigating, Michael Collins told the court: “He is disgusted by his conduct. He says he does not recognise that horrible man. His regret and remorse are genuine.”

In his sentencing remarks, Judget Mairs told Thwaites: “You displayed physical and sexual dominance that you displayed through violent abuse. You beat and abused her.

“You have an air of superficial confidence as you presented yourself as needy and misunderstood. You were capable of living with a facade of respectability.”

He sentenced him to 16.5 years in prison and a further seven years on licence. The term was extended to ensure that Thwates would not be offered parole until two-thirds of the way through his term.

Thwaites is also required to be on the sex offenders’ register for life, as well as being given a restraining order against the victim.