A ‘controlling, manipulative and violent’ man who raped two woman and harassed another has had his prison sentence increased.

Marc Partridge, of Slaidburn Drive, Accrington, was jailed for nine years at Preston Crown Court last month after admitting the offences.

However top judges have now upped the sentence to 12 years after finding it ‘unduly lenient’.

The Observer reported earlier this year how the scaffolder asked one of his victims ‘how do you feel being locked in a house with a rapist?’.

Another victim was grabbed by the throat before the 28-year-old told her ‘if you want me to show you I am a man I will show you’.

Preston Crown Court heard how Partridge used ‘acts of force and sexual violence’ and grabbed one victim by the throat.

Partridge was arrested and raped his second victim while on bail.

The court heard how he covered her mouth to ‘muffle her complaints’ and she ‘submitted in fear of what he would do’ and when she tried to leave he told her she was ‘not going anywhere’. Partridge then pushed her against a wall and asked her to hit him back so he could hit her in response. He then got a knife and threatened to stab her.

When interviewed by police he denied the offences and claimed he had been ‘painted as an ogre’ and was ‘never violent’.

Speaking after the original sentence one of his victims told the Observer nine years was ‘too lenient’.

The Court of Appeal has now quashed the original prison sentence and increased the punishment by a further three years.

Speaking after the hearing, the Solicitor General, Robert Buckland QC MP, said: “Marc Partridge carried out serious physical and sexual violence against three women. He was on bail in relation to the assaults on two of these women when he raped the third victim.

“The assaults have had a huge impact on the lives of the three victims who were each subjected to horrendous violence.

“I asked the Court of Appeal to examine whether the sentence was unduly lenient given the seriousness of these offences.

“I am pleased that the Court found that this sentence was unduly lenient and imposed a sentence of 12 years’ imprisonment.”