POLICE had to break down a door to free an accountancy student who was raped, throttled and imprisoned by a takeaway worker who lured her to Bradford from London, a jury heard.

Abdul Hanif is accused of beating and sexually abusing the young woman over a three month period and strangling her with a length of cable when she refused to have sex with other men.

Hanif, 30, of Chapel Lane, Allerton, Bradford, denies three sample charges of rape and one offence of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Prosecutor David McGonigal alleged Hanif physically and mentally dominated the woman, taking her bank card and phone and spending her money.

She was freed only when police went to a flat in Thorpe Edge and battered down the door to release her.

Mr McGonigal said the 26-year-old woman was studying in London when she met Hanif, who was working at McDonald's in the capital.

He began ringing and following her, saying he wanted to marry her.

When she was threatened with homelessness, Hanif offered to take her to "a nice property in London", the court heard yesterday.

Instead, he drove her to Bradford, telling her to pretend she was his pregnant wife so they would be housed.

When she protested, he said he would "cause her big trouble."

They stayed at several addresses in the city before ending up in the flat at Thorpe Edge.

It is alleged Hanif repeatedly raped the Muslim woman who was a virgin before he violated her.

Mr McGonigal says the defendant locked her in when he was at work at McDonald's in Girlington and forced her to cook and clean for him.

After his arrest in June last year, Hanif told detectives the woman alerted the police when she realised he could not support her in her studies or send money to her family in Bangladesh.

He said he had a gambling habit and had run up a £20,000 debt.

Hanif said the sex was consensual and he denied strangling the woman.

The trial continues.