A sex offender has been jailed for 10 years after he beat and sexually assaulted a woman in her home.

Michael Coles, formerly of Saunders Street, Gillingham, grabbed his victim by the hair and struck her around the face during an hour-long ordeal at her home in Maidstone in November last year.

Coles, 27, punched and kicked her, before pouring a can of cider over the woman as she lay crying on the floor of a bedroom.

After carrying out a sexual assault, Coles made further demands before he then threatened to kill her.

He then dragged the woman by her hair into a bathroom, where he turned out the light and refused to let her out. When she tried to escape he kicked her to the ground.

Police were called after she eventually managed to flee the house and alert neighbours. When arrested, Coles then headbutted and elbowed a police officer.

"This was a savage ordeal which left the victim fearing for her own life" - DC Catherine Ruler

During police interviews he claimed he had been struck by the woman after an argument and had pushed her in self-defence.

Coles refused to answer further questions, including those relating to the sexual offences.

A jury at Maidstone Crown Court found him guilty of two counts of sexual assault and two of causing actual bodily harm.

He had pleaded guilty to a charge of affray relating to his arrest.

Coles was jailed on Friday under an extended sentence and will be on licence for four years when he does get out.

DC Catherine Ruler, of Kent Police’s sexual offence investigation team said: "This was a savage ordeal which left the victim fearing for her own life.

"Coles attempted to humiliate and degrade his victim for his own sexual gratification and also subjected her to a vicious and prolonged assault, which left her with a number of injuries, including a cigarette burn to her breast.

"Coles has now been rightly punished and I hope the sentence will at least provide some comfort and reassurance to the victim, whose bravery in coming forward has helped us build a strong and compelling case."