A man who repeatedly raped, beat and degraded his victim has been jailed for nineteen years.

Neil Huggins, 38, of Dingwall Road, East Croydon was found guilty of seven counts of rape, one count of false imprisonment, one count of sexual assault, and one count of actual bodily harm, at Croydon Crown Court.

Huggin, whipped and strangled his victim on September 23 last year, until she couldn’t breathe.

The 20-year-old victim called police from A&E days later (October 4), reporting that she had been held against her will, where she was beaten and raped on numerous occasions.

Huggins would not let the victim leave the property and he locked the front door so she was trapped inside.

There was no key for the back door and the victim could not get out of the property's windows.

Huggins told the victim that they would go out on a 'trial run' to see if she tried anything when they were out together.

He then took the victim to see if she would say anything at a hair shop in Thornton Heath, after Huggins ordered that she didn’t speak to anyone.

Huggins spoke to staff and then allowed the victim to speak to staff. She told them she did not want anything and walked out.

The victim then boarded a bus to Brixton, where she met a friend who took her to A&E in a south London hospital and called the police.

She has been receiving support from Haven and specialist officers.

Huggins was arrested on Wednesday, October 5. When interviewed he denied beating the victim or urinating in her mouth and said any sexual activity was with her consensual. He also denied false imprisonment stating that the victim could have got out of a window or a gap by the garage door.

He was charged on Thursday, October 6.

Detective Sergeant Simon Sherlock, from the Met's Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Command, said: "What Huggins inflicted on the victim demonstrated his total disregard for her as a human being. She was beaten, raped and humiliated on a daily basis for more than a week.

"Huggins has failed to show any remorse for his despicable actions throughout.

"Huggins' actions have undoubtedly had a lasting impact on the victim who continues to try to come to terms with what happened.

"This was a truly horrific attack and I must express my admiration for the victim to give evidence that has seen her attacker brought to justice.

"I can only hope that this sentence can assist in some way in helping her to move forward with her life."