Shadi Badawood is pictured arriving at Hull Crown Court to face sex offence charges

A man with three wives beat and raped a woman who was 'looked down on' because she was not Saudi Arabian, a court has heard.

Shadi Badawood, 36, is accused of verbally, physically and sexually abusing the woman in Hull while he was studying for a PhD in marketing at the city's university.

Mr Badawood is on trial at Hull Crown Court and denies rape, controlling or coercive behaviour, and two allegations of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Prosecutor Charlotte Baines said the allegations came to light after a friend of the complainant saw Mr Badawood chasing her through a park while she was 'hysterical'.

Police were called and Mr Badawood, from east Hull, was arrested, telling officers that the woman 'had a problem with Muslims'.

The complainant was interviewed and said that because of her country of origin she was 'looked down on in terms of status compared to a Saudi Arabian national'.

She claimed to have been raped by Mr Badawood when he tied her legs with a jacket belt so she could not move them.

She also claimed that on another occasion, Mr Badawood hit her with a large water bottle because she would not give him her mobile phone.

Miss Baines said: 'He grabbed her by her clothes and started shaking her and then started to strangle her with both hands while she was on her stomach.

'He was strangling her so hard she could not breathe.'

Mr Badawood is then said to have told the woman he would 'not leave her alone unless he killed her or made her crazy'.

That incident allegedly caused bruising and swelling to the complainant's throat and face, which another friend saw when her scarf slipped, the court heard.

The complainant also told police Mr Badawood would 'call her dirty names, including calling her a daughter of a dog, a huge cultural insult to her', the court heard.

Miss Baines said the woman once went to a doctor with bruising after twice being elbowed by Mr Badawood.

'She was crying and he showed no remorse as if it was normal behaviour and he had done nothing wrong,' the prosecutor said.

The complainant said she had 'hurt herself on a door'. The doctor listened to her heart and found she had palpitations, the court heard.

When Mr Badawood was interviewed by police, he denied any wrongdoing and suggested a friend of the complainant was behind the allegations.

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