Leicester rapist who controlled ex-girlfriend and made her life a 'living nightmare' is jailed

A "manipulative" rapist who used physical violence to rape his ex-girlfriend and control her for over a year and a half after they broke up, has been jailed.

Henry Smith, 39, from Leicester, split up from his victim in April 2021 but they continued to see each other occasionally.

He used physical violence to rape her, made her withdraw money from her bank account for him and limited her contact with family and friends.

Police say Smith made his victim's life "a living nightmare".

Smith also stole cash from her home in the Wigston in June 2022, which led to a family member reporting Smith to police and his arrest.

After his arrest, his ex-girlfriend then told police about other offences he had committed against her.

She told detectives that in October 2021 Smith raped her while they were together in East Goscote, using physical violence against her.

She also said he had also exerted controlling and coercive behaviour over her – both before and after they had split up.

She said Smith had followed her to ATMs and made her withdraw money for him and had also limited her contact with friends and family – essentially controlling how she lived her life.

Smith, of no fixed address, had denied the charges but on the second day of his trial at Leicester Crown Court, pleaded guilty.

He was jailed for 11 years for rape and given a consecutive three-year sentence for controlling and coercive behaviour.

The offences also put him in breach of a 10-month suspended sentence he had previously received for sexual assaulting another female – resulting in a total of 14 years and 10 months’ imprisonment.

He was also given a three-year sentence for burglary, to be served concurrently.

Smith was placed on the sex offenders register for life and is subject to an indefinite restraining order prohibiting him from contacting the victim or her family.

Detective Constable Rachael Lee, the investigating officer, said: “Smith was a man who wanted ultimate control over his victim. He was manipulative and made her life a living nightmare.

“Until the last minute, he tried to deny what he had done but pleaded guilty when his victim attended court to give her evidence against him.

“She has shown unbelievable strength and courage throughout the investigation and I hope the fact he’s now serving a significant sentence for his crimes brings her a sense that justice has finally been done and allows her to move on with her life.”