A SADISTIC rapist who tried to force his victim to eat dog food during a sex attack has been jailed for eight years.
Hebburn man Carl Lee dragged the terrified woman by her hair, made her lie in a dog bed and tried to force her to eat the animal’s food before beating her with a metal lead.
The attacker then warned he would kill his victim if she reported what happened to her to the police.
Newcastle Crown Court heard the woman was so badly traumatised by her ordeal at Lee’s home, which happened over 15 years ago, that she has had to be referred for mental health treatment.
Lee, of Frobisher Street, Hebburn, was found guilty of rape yesterday after a trial by a jury.
The court heard the 35-year-old continues to deny the offences, despite what Judge Roger Thorn QC said was “overwhelming” evidence against him.
The judge said: “This was a sustained attack. There is evidence of humiliation by you of your victim.
“The behaviour was degrading and sadistic, for instance you dragging her by the hair, making her lie in a dog bed and trying to get her to eat dog food and beating her with a dog chain.”
He added: “There is further evidence here of some threats to kill her if she reported the matter.”
The court heard the attack was not investigated at the time as it was years later when the woman found the courage to report what had happened to her.
Judge Thorn said Lee is “deeply entrenched in denial” over what he did. This, he added, means he posed a risk of further offending.
The judge said: “People protect themselves from the awfulness of what they’ve done.
“While you continue to protect yourself with the entrenched level of denial, you are obviously going to continue to be a serious and increasing risk of further sexual assaults on other people while you remain in that state of denial.”
Julian Smith, defending, said being in custody on remand has been a “salutory” experience for Lee, who has no other convictions for sexual offending, and was only 19 when the attack took place.
Mr Smith said that Lee accepting his guilt is something “which is not going to happen”.