Australian man jailed for raping Dutch backpacker

An Australian man who imprisoned a Dutch backpacker in a hotel room for six weeks and repeatedly raped and beat her has been jailed for 17 years.

Alfio Anthony Granata pleaded guilty to multiple rapes, threats to kill, and intentionally causing serious injury.

He held the backpacker in his Melbourne hotel room in 2012 after they had sex and took drugs with his partner.

She was freed only when she tried to kill herself, prompting Granata and his partner to call emergency services.

A judge on Monday described Granata's actions as "akin to torture", and that he had "degraded and humiliated" his 21-year-old victim, who has not been named.

Granata and his partner, Jennifer Peaston, had met the backpacker at a party in November 2012 and invited her to their hotel room.

The backpacker was forced to live in the shower. Granata, with the help of Peaston, beat the woman with various objects including a meat tenderiser and rolling pin, and performed bizarre rituals on her.

The judge said the woman was left a "reclusive and frightened" individual.

Earlier this year, a judge found that Peaston was traumatised and had also been a victim of abuse by Granata. She avoided jail and was given a good behaviour bond without conviction.