A MAN has been jailed for eight years for "behaving like an animal" when he repeatedly raped a vulnerable young woman in her home.

Mohammed Imran Ditta had "an evil look on his face" when he abused his victim, who was praised by a judge as "a very exceptional person."

Ditta, 29, of Bradford Street, Lawkholme, Keighley, pleaded guilty to six offences of raping the woman.

The incident took place at an address in Keighley.

Prosecutor Stephen Wood said Ditta began abusing the woman after he was released from a sentence of imprisonment for fraud.

The offences came to light when she leapt from his moving car because she was so terrified of him.

The woman said Ditta was jealous, paranoid and depressed.

He repeatedly forced himself on her, although she was crying and begging him not to.

She suffered bruising to her arms and neck from grip marks.

The court heard that Ditta had also bitten her on the leg when he was assaulting her.

The woman said she had previously been raped by a complete stranger and Ditta knew that.

She told him he was "just like an animal. Just like him," Mr Wood said.

The last time she was abused by Ditta, he raped her three times in one day, the court heard.

She told the police he had "an evil look on his face" before pushing her on to a sofa, taking off her clothes and forcing himself on her.

When he was arrested, he accused the woman of lying about what he had done to her.

Ditta's barrister, Katherine Robinson, said his guilty pleas were courageous. He wanted to avoid causing his victim further distress by making her give evidence at a trial.

"He has fully accepted the allegations against him and made no attempt to minimalise his behaviour," she said.

Ditta, who wore a grey and yellow hooded top for the court hearing, was depressed when he committed the offences, Miss Robinson said.

He had financial pressures and "substance issues" and suffered a dreadful change in his personality after serving the jail sentence for fraud.

"He has genuine remorse and wishes to seek help in the future," Miss Robinson added.

Judge Peter Benson told Ditta: "The repeated nature of this offending makes it extremely serious indeed. The victim was vulnerable but she clearly is a very exceptional person."

Ditta must sign on the sex offenders' register for life and Judge Benson made a Sexual Harm Prevention order to protect the woman in the future.