A CONVICTED double rapist who came to the UK from Romania struck again, raping a woman who he met at a nightclub.

Bolton Crown Court heard how Vasile Nastase served two prison sentences in his home country for attacking women.

Vanessa Thomson, prosecuting, told how 49-year-old Nastase was sentenced to six years in prison in 1993 for pushing a woman to the ground, beating and raping her after meeting her at a disco.

Then, in 2009, he was sentenced to another 10 years behind bars for kidnapping a woman he met at a disco, taking her to his home and raping her.

After his release he came to England last year to find work in a warehouse and factories.

“There is no suggestion that he was here unlawfully," said Chudi Grant, defending.

“He came to find work and there was no issue with him entering the country.”

But Judge Graeme Smith was told that, within months, he was to strike again, raping a woman he had met at a nightclub and dragged into his Findlay Street, Leigh, home in the early hours of November 18.

Miss Thomson said that Nastase’s 41-year-old victim had met up with friends in Leigh after spending the evening at a relative’s birthday party.

By the time she headed for the Est 1899 nightclub in Railway Road at 3.40am she was drunk.

Inside the club she encountered Nastase and the court was shown CCTV of him with his arms round her on the dance floor and them kissing.

They left together two hours later and walked towards Nastase’s home half a mile away.

“During the course of this walk she began to feel very uneasy about the situation and believed that she was not safe,” said Miss Thomson.

“She tried to distance herself from him but to no avail.”

The woman tried to walk past his house to get help at a busy road junction nearby, but Nastase pulled her back and bundled her through the door.

The woman told Nastase she had to get home to her children.

“He was not put off and he pushed her to the back room of the house, onto a couch where he removed her leather trousers and her underwear,” said Miss Thomson.

“The complainant was so fearful at this stage that she wet herself.”

The woman tried to run away but he grabbed hold of her and raped her.

“As she tried to fight back against him he became even more aggressive,” said Miss Thomson.

“She repeatedly told him ‘no’ during this and told him that she wanted to go home, but again, he was not put off and he was rough with her.

“The complainant formed the conclusion it was better to not fight back because she was afraid that she was going to die.”

After 10 minutes he stopped but refused to let her leave and Nastase, who speaks very little English, indicated that he wanted oral sex.

She refused and, as she has a Romanian friend, tried to talk to him about his country.

“She was trying to build up an element of trust with him to allow her freedom from his home,” said Miss Thomson, who said that Nastase then let her go just before 8am.

The woman arrived home in a distressed state, with bruises and abrasions covering her body, and then realised that her mobile phone was still at Nastase’s house and so, with a relative, went back.

After the relative threatened to call the police Nastase showed them where he had thrown the phone and some jewellery in a dustbin.

“It was at that stage that the complainant decided the matter had to be reported to police because she was afraid this man could do the same thing to somebody else,” said Miss Thomson.

When arrested, Nastase admitted he had been with the woman, but denied raping her.

He eventually pleaded guilty to committing the offence.

In a victim statement the woman told how she spent five months not knowing if she had contracted HIV and now suffers flashbacks and panic attacks.

"I want the offender never to hurt another individual in his life," she said.

Mr Grant told Judge Smith: "Vasile Nastase is under no illusion as to the length of the sentence and that it will be substantial.

"In relation to the offence there is little I can say."

He stressed that Nastase, a qualified painter and decorator, had not planned to rape a woman when he went out that night. He and the woman appeared content in each other's company in the club and they were both intoxicated, but he did not ply her with drink.

Mr Grant added: "Whatever sentence is imposed, on his release he will be nearer to 60. He does not accept he poses a risk.

"It may well be that while serving his sentence he will have to come to terms with, not only his attitudes and how he conducts himself but also what rehabilitative work he can avail himself of.

"The road to rehabilitation is not going to be easy for him."

The court heard that, when eventually released, the Home Office will probably decide to deport Nastase, who has two children living in Romania.

Judge Smith decided to adjourn sentencing until Tuesday next week while he considers whether to jail Nastase for life.

The judge told Nastase: "Unfortunately there are many matters which I have to consider. You know that it will be a long prison sentence. I have to decide how long and what form it will take."

Judge Smith also made an order banning Nastase from ever contacting or attempting to contact his victim.