A MAN has been jailed for life for brutally raping and robbing a vulnerable woman in the rain by the River Ouse in York.

Abrar Khan, 30, lured his victim to a cold, dark, wet and muddy isolated spot behind St Peter’s School on January 2 this year.

There he threatened to kill her, pushed her to the ground and raped her before kicking her in the face and hitting her several times.

He scattered everything she had with her on the ground and grabbed all the money she had on her, £2.60, before leaving her alone with a battered, bleeding face, neck and chin.

Five years ago, when he attacked a Sheffield woman in what the prosecution initially said was attempted rape, Judge Michael Murphy QC warned him: “If in the future there is another matter like this, or remotely like this, life imprisonment will be the inevitable sentence.”

Khan had been released from prison just 11 days before he carried out the York attack and was staying at the probation hostel in Boroughbridge Road on parole.

At York Crown Court, Judge Andrew Stubbs QC described the victim as a pleasant, friendly woman who was ill-equipped mentally to deal with Khan.

He told the rapist: “I am entirely satisfied the seriousness of the rape and associated robbery justifies in your situation imprisonment for life.”

Khan, of no fixed address, was jailed for life with a minimum term of eight years. He was also put on the sex offenders’ register and made subject to a restraining order banning him from contacting the victim, both for life He pleaded guilty to rape and robbery.

Det Insp Steve Menzies of North Yorkshire Police said: “I can only describe Abrar Khan’s actions as a despicable, violent and cowardly sexual attack on a vulnerable lady.

“It is clear that he believed targeting vulnerable members of our communities would help him in evading capture. This outcome in court shows he was wrong

“Khan is a dangerous offender and removing him from our streets makes our communities even safer than they are already.

“Thankfully, such incidents are rare, but they will not be tolerated and we will do everything possible to support victims and bring offenders to justice.”

The officer praised the victim’s courage during the case and the work of Det Con Vince Morris, who spent days viewing hundreds of hours of CCTV footage to identify Khan both in the city centre and on his return to the probation hostel.

Khan was also identified by DNA evidence after his arrest.

Nick Adlington, prosecuting, told York Crown Court the woman had been to the library shortly before encountering Khan.

He took her along the southern riverbank past York City Rowing Club and Esplanade car park.

At Scarborough Bridge he took her to the northern bank and continued heading west. She rang 999 at 7.15pm.

For Khan, Laura Marshall said Khan’s brother had been jailed for murder.

Khan himself “buried his head in the sand” regarding his crimes.

He needed to come to terms with matters that had happened in his childhood that led him to commit crimes.

“This young man for the past almost 18 years has been trying unsuccessfully to cope with what had happened to him,” she said.

“He is appalled and he is ashamed of his behaviour.”

The judge said according to the probation service, Khan had refused to work with probation, and had also refused to see a psychiatrist.

York Crown Court heard the prosecution dropped a charge of attempted rape against Khan when he admitted assault with intent to rob for which Judge Murphy jailed him for five years. He had also served two other jail terms for robbery.