A RAPIST who assaulted a woman three times leaving her with recurring nightmares has been jailed for nine years.

Leslie Roberts, 33, tied his victim to a chair before subjecting her to "perverted activities", a court heard.

Roberts raped the woman twice, sexually assaulted her and perpetrated a physical attack on her which left her with "unpleasant injuries", Cardiff Crown Court heard.

She suffered nightmares for three months and then appeared ill and was seen shaking, the court was told.

Roberts, of Conway Road, Newport, denied one count of false imprisonment, one of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, two of rape and one of sexual assault but was found guilty after a trial on July 25.

Sentencing him to nine years in jail, Judge Philip Richards said: "I'm quite sure it will have a lasting effect upon her.

"This person offered you her intelligent company and you abused her in this dreadful way.”

Roberts "intimidated" and "coerced" his "beautiful" female victim and had also a "controlling” attitude towards women, the court heard.

Judge Richards gave him a restraining order stopping him from contacting his victim and imposed a sexual offences' prevention order that will force him to disclose his past before he stays with women.

Defence barrister, Nicholas Gareth Jones, said his client had begun to show remorse and admitted what he had done was wrong.

He added that he had a good work record and had kept "his head down" while he worked on remand.

Roberts was given nine years for the two counts of rape, one sexual assault and false imprisonment, to run concurrently.

He was also given three years for assault occasioning actual bodily harm, to run concurrently.

Judge Richards added he would have to serve at least half his sentence before he could be released and ordered him to pay £120.