A Central Coast man who raped and tortured a succession of women over more than two decades has been sentenced to at least 27 years in jail.

The 53-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was found guilty of 55 charges relating to the physical, sexual and psychological abuse of women he lived with between 1988 and 2014.

The man was accused of raping the women with household objects and detaining them.

The sadistic nature of the offences included bashing and raping the women for not folding washing correctly, making them eat off the floor, locking them in wardrobes and hog-tying them and placing them face down in a bathtub full of water.

A number of the women have suffered permanent physical injuries stemming from the abuse.

One of the women known as JF was locked in a cupboard after calling her sister who contacted police.

When police visited the home, the offender said she had gone out.

In her victim impact statement JF said "It's hard to understand the fear unless you have lived with it," and that she "frequently believed she wouldn't be alive the following day".

In handing down the sentence in the Downing Centre District Court, Justice Sarah Huggett said the man used "gratuitous cruelty ... designed to emphasise a victim's powerlessness and helplessness".

"When one victim found the strength to escape, he found a replacement," she said.

"I have no doubt there was foresight, premeditation and planning."

Justice Huggett said the degree of violence was a relevant consideration in the sentence and that the offender was "frightening, controlling and undermining each victim's sense of security".

The court heard that while in custody, the man had been verbally aggressive towards visitors and nursing staff.

The man will be eligible for release in 2041.