Shane Maru had just turned 18 when he raped and bashed a sex worker.

A teenager who raped a sex worker, has been jailed for 12 years and six months for that and other crimes.

Shane Maru had just turned 18 when he went to see the woman for paid oral sex but he went on to have intercourse without her consent, and punched her repeatedly, fracturing her eye socket and jaw.

He was found guilty of rape, and pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and theft, all from November 14, 2017. He also pleaded guilty to other charges including assault, aggravated injuring of a police officer, and driving matters.

At the High Court in Wellington on Thursday Justice Peter Churchman sentenced Maru to a total of 12 years and six months' jail. He has to serve at least seven years and four months before he can be considered for parole.

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The rape victim went in and out of consciousness for about 24 hours after the beating and could not call for help because Maru took her phone.

She was only discovered when police conducted a welfare check, the judge said.

The victim's impact statement was read in court for her. She said at 33, she could no longer work, and she was in constant fear of dying.

"I think I am dying all the time and I can't get rid of it."

She said she ended up in hospital with severe head injuries. She forgets simple things and now lives like a hermit. She could not use public transport because of her fears.

"I didn't deserve to have this happen to me."

Prosecutor Jamie O'Sullivan said that not withstanding Maru's age, he was at high risk of reoffending. She said Maru knew the woman had only agreed to perform oral sex.

Maru's lawyer, Steve Gill, said Maru still denied the sexual intercourse was rape, but he accepted responsibility for the violence.

Justice Peter Churchman said the woman was a sex worker, working from her own home with no-one to call on if things went wrong, so she was vulnerable.

She might be described as streetwise but she also had a number of difficulties, he said.

He said he reduced the sentence for Maru's youth and remorse.

One of the other offences was for aggravated injury of a police officer who followed Maru home to talk to him about driving matters. Maru wouldn't go with him, punched him and tackled the officer so he fell down some steps, and seriously dislocated a finger.