Jailed: Dudley man raped woman he locked in his house and denied her food

Mark Coley raped the woman, denied her food, took her cell phone and sometimes even tied her up so she could not leave his property.

He persuaded her to meet in the summer of 2022 and then drove her to his apartment, where he threatened her and claimed she was being monitored by cameras.

Coley also controlled her finances and it was not until September of that year that he “trusted her” and gave her access to a telephone.

The woman took the opportunity to call a relative, who called the police before fleeing the address.

However, Coley quickly managed to track them down at a hotel in the area and take them to a trailer and other guest houses.

After extensive investigations, the police tracked the two down in Stourport in October.

Coley was arrested and denied any wrongdoing.

However, after a trial, he was found guilty of rape and coercive control.

The 35-year-old, of New Rowley Road, Dudley, was sentenced to 18 years in prison and placed on the sex offenders’ register for life at Wolverhampton Crown Court on May 31.

If you are a victim of domestic violence or coercive control, you can find out about the help available on the West Midlands Police website.