AUBREY COLEMAN

A man has been jailed for setting fire to his wife when their marriage collapsed and raping another woman in a separate incident.

Electrical engineer Aubrey Coleman, 39, of Hawkins Close, Bognor, committed the offences when his relationship with wife Lorraine disintegrated, a court heard.

Philip Katz QC, prosecuting, told Lewes Crown Court was arrested on suspicion of forcing himself on a woman after a night drinking heavily with friends.

He said when Mrs Coleman told her husband she was leaving him he poured petrol over his legs and her head and chest, then ignited it with a disposable lighter.

The couple both ran outside and rolled in the snow to extinguish the flames after the incident in December 1999.

Coleman spent seven weeks in hospital and needed skin grafts to burns which covered 36 per cent of his body.

His wife's injuries, to her face and chest, were less severe and she Sonia Woodley QC, defending, said 'An air of mistrust had grown between them and the rift was widening.' During an evening out with friends Coleman consumed a large quantity of wine, which he normally never drank, and went home with a woman he met and had sex with her without her consent.

His subsequent arrest began playing on his mind, said Miss Woodley, and it 'may have been the final straw for his wife'.

Shortly after, Coleman discovered letters which showed she had run up £3,000 in credit card debts which he had not known about, the court heard.

A weeping Coleman told the court: 'I would like to apologise for the inconvenience I have put everyone to, and to my wife and my daughter.

I'm really sorry for what happened.' Coleman admitted causing his wife grievous bodily harm with intent.

He admitted rape at a previous hearing but said he had no recollection of the incident.

Sentencing, Judge Charles Kemp said: 'Your conduct was disgraceful and you should be thoroughly ashamed of yourself.' He jailed him for four-and-a-half years for rape and three-and-a-half years for grievous bodily harm, to run consecutively, and ordered he be placed on the sex offenders register for life.