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Jailed: Rapist beat girlfriend with iron bar after she uncovered his lies

A rapist who beat his girlfriend with an iron bar when she ended their relationship after discovering he had lied about his name and background has been jailed for 20 months.

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Wayne Hartley had told her he was called Oscar St Cruz and kept secret the fact he was on licence after being released early from a six-year prison term imposed when he was convicted of rape, a Wolverhampton Crown Court judge was told.

She jilted him after learning the truth about the man and "rather unwisely" went to the address he shared with his father in Smestow Street, Park Village.

Mr Timothy Harrington, prosecuting, said he made sexual demands and grew angry when she refused.

Hartley grabbed her by the throat and hit her thigh with a screwdriver before picking up an iron bar with which he struck her hard three times on the left arm and side of her body, leaving her in "excruciating pain," it was said.

She escaped when someone knocked on the door.

The violence lasted around 20 minutes.

'Badly bruised'

"She said she had been in fear for her life during the attack which left her badly bruised," concluded Mr Harrington.

Hartley, who is on the sex offender register and has to inform the police of any change of address, broke those terms and went on the run until October 22 when he was arrested at another location in Wolverhampton.

Mr Ian Windridge, defending, said the woman arrived at 3am but the violence did not start until 1pm.

Hartley pleaded guilty to assault and was jailed by Judge James Burbidge QC who told him: "The woman inadvisably came to your home in the early hours to recover her possessions. She refused to engage in sexual activity and you resorted to type.

"You have previous convictions for assault, battery and rape. This was a sustained assault by you."

Hartley was also made the subject of a restraining order that banned him from having any contact with the former girlfriend for the next 10 years.

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