Misogynistic and 'cruel' thug attacked woman in Leeds with such ferocity she needed emergency brain surgery
Thug told by judge he had “utter contempt” for women
A thug has been handed a lengthy jail sentence following a vicious assault in which he tied a woman up and beat her mercilessly.
Henok Bekel appeared at Leeds Crown Court for sentencing having being found guilty of Section 18 GBH with intent.
Ther 30-year-old attacked the woman when he was living in Beeston, punching her about the head and strangling her.
He then used a mobile phone charger cable to tie her hands behind her back and continued to punch her to the head. He also kicked her to the face.
The woman suffered a subdural hematoma, a bleed to the brain, and a midline shift to the brain, that can be fatal.
She needed emergency surgery after being rushed to the hospital by ambulance.
She was left with permanent and “life-affecting” injuries.
Bekel, now of Preston Road, Birmingham, has no previous convictions. He appeared in court from HMP Leeds where he was being held on remand.
Mitigating, Kitty Colley said Bekel had come Eritrea in Africa and had sought asylum, which he was granted.
She conceded: “Attitudes towards women in his culture influenced his own behaviour.”
Judge Robin Mairs told Bekel that he had “utter contempt” for women and said there had been “gratuitous degradation”.
He added: “What you demonstrated was human cruelty. You inflicted pain because you had the power to do it.”
He was jailed for 12 years for the GBH, and a further 11 years after being convicted of rape - details of which cannot be disclosed to protect the victim - making a total of 23 years behind bars.
Bekel will have to serve two-thirds of his sentence before being considered for parole, rather than at the usual half-way stage.