A CHEF who raped and brutally beat a vulnerable Chester woman after an evening out in the city centre has been jailed for 10 years.

At Manchester Crown Court on Friday Mark Caunce, 22, of Victoria Road, Buckley, was told by Judge Nicholas Woodward he had left his 31-year-old victim traumatised 'physically, psychologically and emotionally' by what he had done.

Dad-of-one Caunce only admitted to the offences eight days into a crown court trial after his victim had given her harrowing evidence.

He admitted raping her and then beating her afterwards.

In July when he was due to be sentenced he told the court he wished to change his plea, but this was later withdrawn.

The heard how Caunce’s victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had been on an evening out in Chester city centre on Saturday, July 25, 2009.

Prosecutor David Potter told the court the victim had been drinking at two bars before heading to Cruise nightclub on St John Street. By the time she left she was 'extremely drunk' and 'clearly incapable of giving informed consent to sex'.

Meanwhile Caunce who had been drinking in the Forrest House on Love Street, made his way towards Foregate Street and met the victim.

The court heard that CCTV footage from the early hours of Sunday showed the pair walking through an alleyway together to behind the Parker’s buildings of Foregate Street where the rape happened.

Caunce was seen running from the scene after 46 minutes and the victim only emerged 40 minutes later.

Mr Potter told the court she managed to make her way to Abbey Taxis on Foregate Street, 'her face covered in blood' and 'her underwear and tights ripped'.

Her injuries included a broken nose, a fracture to the eye socket and cheekbone, multiple bruises to the head and face, a blow to the head, cuts inside her mouth and serious internal injuries.

Judge Woodward told Caunce: "Her vulnerability would have been quite apparent to anyone, even to someone who was also very drunk."

"You raped her and then you beat her mercilessly."

He sentenced Caunce to six years in prison for the rape and four years for the grievous bodily harm.