Matthew Jones 37

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A rapist told his victim to "shut up" when she pleaded with him to stop during a series of sex attacks.

Matthew Jones assaulted and raped a woman, who cannot be identified, including an incident when he whipped her with a belt.

The 34-year-old left his victim with severe psychological damage, and she says she "still has many days she wishes she was dead".

Liverpool Crown Court heard Jones, of Dorset Road, Tuebrook, denied any wrongdoing and claimed the woman was lying to a jury.

But jurors, who saw photos of bruises to her back and thighs, found him guilty of four counts of rape and one of assault causing actual bodily harm.

Today it emerged the rapist, who still maintains his innocence, also has a history of violence against another woman - his ex-wife.

Describing the abuse, Judge Gary Woodhall said Jones punched his victim, threw things at her, and in one attack removed his belt and hit her with it, leaving her feeling "humiliated", with bruises the length of her back.

The judge said he raped the woman on one occasion when she was ill, "placing your hand on her throat".

He said: "She was crying and saying stop. You told her to shut up."

Judge Woodhall said the woman recalled two or three other occasions when he raped her in a similar way after overpowering her.

Gareth Roberts, prosecuting, summarised a victim statement from the woman, who he said now "struggles to lead a normal life".

Mr Roberts said she "constantly feels afraid and scared", has lost her faith in others, distrusts men, feels "unreasonable revulsion" to any man who looks like her attacker, suffers from panic attacks and has difficulty with any physical contact.

Mr Roberts said the victim was left suicidal, adding: "She didn't want to live because of the memories of what happened to her."

The prosecutor said the woman has undergone counselling, which has helped, but "still has many days she wishes she was dead".

The court heard Jones has four previous convictions for five offences, including battery convictions for violence against his former wife.

Michael Scholes, defending, said a series of character references conflicted with the views of a probation officer in a pre-sentence report.

He said in his dealings with Jones he was "articulate, intelligent and courteous", and while his client still denied the offences, he accepted the jury's findings and understood that he would have to be punished.

Judge Woodhall said the victim referred to how Jones' abuse "changed her" and "she is unable to forget what you did to her".

He said Jones "complained" to the probation officer how the victim "has taken everything away from you".

But the judge added: "That's what she has described you did to her."

Judge Woodhall said Jones had character references from his mum, sister-in-laws, girlfriend, brothers, an aunt and nan.

He said they described him as "loving and caring" and "honourable and responsible and supportive and hard working".

The judge said these testimonials suggested his offences were "out of character", but noted one brother said Jones had suffered with anger issues from a young age and taken steps to combat it, while his nan outlined Jones' problems with his father and the loss of a brother as a child.

Judge Woodhall said however he behaved towards them, his previous convictions and latest offending showed he had behaved "entirely differently" with his victims.

He said his rape victim was "vulnerable" at the time of the attacks and concluded she suffered "severe psychological harm", while his mitigation was limited, except for his absence of previous sexual offences and his positive work record.

Judge Woodhall jailed Jones for nine and a half years, as a woman in the public gallery shook her head.

He said Jones would serve two thirds of this sentence - six years and four months - behind bars, before he is released on licence.

The judge ordered Jones to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for life and made an indefinite restraining order to protect his victim.

Supporters including members of Jones' family sobbed as he was sent down, with one man shouting: "I love you - you didn't do it."