Man gets eight years for rape after telling victim he would ‘chop her up’

A convicted rapist who told a woman he was going to “take her up to the mountains and chop her up” has been jailed for eight years.

Robert Melia of Shangan Gardens, Ballymun in Dublin has previous convictions for rape and violent sexual assaults dating back to 1997.

The court heard Robert Melia's victim was a vulnerable drug addict who he met on a city centre street in Dublin.

He bought heroin and cocaine, they socialised and a few days later on May 19 2013 he invited her up to his room at Caulfields Hotel on Lower Dorset Street.

While there he became angry with the woman, demanded that she take her clothes off, he punched her repeatedly and tried to strangle her when she struggled to get towards the locked door.

He threatened to take her up the mountains and chop her up and told her “Get it into your head, you are going to die”.

In fear for her life she eventually managed escape by jumping out of the first floor window.

Judge Martin Nolan noted Robert Melia has a history of extreme hostility and violence towards women, which includes rape.

He jailed him for eight years on charges of false imprisonment, assault causing harm and making threats to kill.