An Indian store worker in the UK has been jailed for seven years after pleading guilty to raping a 40-year-old woman who asked if she could charge her mobile phone.
The woman, aged in her forties, entered the shop in Manchester after noticing her phone battery had almost run out.
30-year-old Indian national Swapnil Kulat then locked the doors, beat her with a wooden pole and raped her on 19 March this year, Manchester Crown Court heard.
He was sentenced to seven years and eight months after pleading guilty to rape, false imprisonment and assault occasioning bodily harm, the reported.
Kulat will be deported to India at the completion of his sentence.
As the victim and her friend entered, he became aggressive and locked the store, ordering them to go to a room at the back, the court heard.
He then raped the victim holding her at knife point after her friend was allowed to leave. He also beat the victim with a walking stick.
Kulat then raped the victim before falling asleep. The woman could leave the next morning after he woke up and finally unlocked the doors, police said.
The victim was found by a friend and taken to a hospital where doctors found 37 different injuries on areas around her face, neck arms and legs.
Police found the walking stick that he beat his victim with and her blood on it.
Kulat admitted beating her up and having sex with her, but claimed he only did it after noticing A$2,500 missing from the store.
Passing Judge Timothy Smith told Kulat there was no evidence the victim stole money and condemned his actions.
Det Constable Laura Hughes said the attack was "despicable".
"Kulat subjected her to a violent and terrifying ordeal, which will haunt her for the rest of her life and nothing will repair the psychological damage he has inflicted," she said.
"I want to commend her bravery in coming forward to report this shocking attack and helping to secure this conviction."
Kulat was made a subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life.
