Elijah Mochia, a 31-year-old man of no fixed abode, was sentenced to 18 years imprisonment for the rape and assault of a woman in her 20s.

Winchester Crown Court heard that Mochia's relationship with the victim was characterized by violence and control from the outset. He subjected her to physical abuse over a six-month period, including punching, biting, and threatening her with scissors. He also forced her to sign written contracts dictating her behavior.

Mochia faced charges of three counts of rape (one encompassing multiple incidents), assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and controlling and coercive behavior. He was found guilty by a jury in his absence as he refused to attend court.

The judge imposed an 18-year prison sentence with an extended license period of eight years. Mochia will remain on the sexual offenders register for life.