A MAN who repeatedly raped his partner while was pregnant with his child has been jailed for eight years.

The woman, who can not be named for legal reasons, was suffering hyperemis gravidarum, an extreme type of morning sickness, at the time of the attacks at the home they shared in Chorley.

Preston Crown Court heard between April and August 2014, the 26-year-old forced himself upon his partner on around 20 separate occasions, while they were in bed watching films together.

The woman told him she did not want sex and tried to push him away, but he continued to have sex without her consent.

Judge Sara Dodd, sentencing, told him: “The victim was your partner.

"She was pregnant with your child and she was sick. She should have had an expectation that you would care for her but you put your own selfish, sexual needs repeatedly above her.”

The defendant denied 10 counts of rape, forcing the woman to give evidence at a trial.

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During her evidence, the victim broke down and had a panic attack as she was quizzed about her ordeal.

In a victim impact statement, she told the court she still has nightmares and lives in fear of bumping into her attacker when she leaves the house.

Speaking of the attacks, she said: “My tummy hurt and sex was disgusting, as my unborn baby was in there.”

Judge Dodd said the relationship between the couple was 'controlling throughout' but there had been no physical violence prior to the rapes.

She said: “You had no thought for her wellbeing.”

Since the attacks the couple have separated and the man, who now lives in Charnock Richard, has started a new relationship, the court heard.

His new partner stands by him, despite his convictions, and is now pregnant with his child, due in November.

The defendant will serve half his sentence before he is released on licence.

He will be on the sex offenders register indefinitely.