A DANGEROUS Dudley abuser who locked a former partner in his home for weeks and raped her has been jailed for 18 years.

Mark Coley refused to let the woman eat, access her mobile phone and he even tied her up on occasions so she could not leave his address.

He persuaded her to meet with him in summer 2022 and forced the woman into his flat where he made threats and claimed cameras were monitoring her.

Coley also controlled her finances and only gave her access to a phone in September, police said.

She took the opportunity to ring a relative, who contacted police, and fled the address.

However, Coley managed to quickly track her down to a hotel in the area and took her to a caravan and other guesthouses.

Following extensive enquiries officers traced them both to Stourport in October 2022.

Coley – who sustained serious head injuries following a collision as a teenager - was arrested and denied any wrong-doing but following a trial he was convicted of rape and coercive control.

The 35-year-old, of New Rowley Road, Dudley, was jailed for 18 years at Wolverhampton Crown Court on May 31.

He was also put on the sex offenders' register for life.

A West Midlands Police spokesperson said: "These actions were deplorable and there can never be any justification for such vile behaviour or abuse."