Jewish man ‘raped ex-wife in secret dungeon’, court told

Snaresbrook Crown Court heard that the woman was lured to the warehouse, owned by her ex-husband, on the pretence that she would pick up their granddaughter from a car parked nearby. 

Prosecuting, Charlotte Newell said: "When (the woman) went to the rear of the car (her ex-husband) sprayed her in the face with mace. 

"Despite her blurred vision she was able to recognise Mr Hill, who was somebody she had known herself through (her ex-husband) for many years. 

"Hill attempted to put a ball in her mouth and tape over it. The two men tied her by her wrists and ankles with cable ties."

The jury, made up of seven women and five men, were shown images of the warehouse and the concealed upstairs room, in which there was a wardrobe. 

A false bottom of the wardrobe revealed a vertical hatch with a ladder, leading to what Ms Newell described as a "dungeon". 

She said: "She was later examined and the marks to her legs, particularly her ankles, and her wrists were consistent with being tied up so tightly that her movements would have been severely curtailed. 

"Her face and head were covered and she was picked up and taken upstairs. 

"Within the wardrobe there was a hatch covering an open cellar. Here in this room the rapes by (her ex-husband) on her were to take place."

The court heard that Hill and his co-defendant were the "only two people in the world" who knew of the dungeon's existence. 

The attack was said to have happened on October 15 2014, during Succot. The couple had been divorced since 2008 after 28 years of marriage, and had lived separately.

However the woman had been denied a get by her ex-husband. 

They had separated acrimoniously, and there were disputes over residence and contact with the youngest of their eight children. 

The trial is expected to last between two and three weeks. 

The Jewish defendant is being represented by Jonathan Goldberg QC.