A SERIAL rapist has died in prison from a stab wound just five days after he was jailed for life.

Vasile Nastase had admitted raping a woman in Leigh who he had met at a nightclub on November 18 last year.

At Bolton Crown Court on August 27 Nastase, who is from Romania, was jailed for life by Judge Graeme Smith who told him he was a dangerous offender and poses a significant risk to others.

He was serving his sentence at Forest Bank prison but on September 1 paramedics rushed to the jail.

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Nastase, aged 49, who also had convictions for rape in his home country, is believed to have stabbed himself in the neck and he died in the back of the ambulance.

At the sentencing hearing the court heard how Nastase had raped a 41-year-old woman at his home in Findlay Street, Leigh, in the early hours of November 18 last year after meeting her at the Est 1899 nightclub.

The woman, who was drunk, left with him but became concerned during the walk towards his house.

She tried to get away but he dragged her into his home and raped her during a two hour ordeal.

He eventually let her go and she reported the attack to police.

"She was afraid this man could do the same thing to somebody else,” said Vanessa Thomson, prosecuting.

In Romania Nastase, a father-of-two, had also served two prison sentences for raping women he had met at discos and came to the UK legally last year in order to find work in a warehouse and factories.

A probation report about him concluded that “persistent sexual offending and attitudes to sex clearly demonstrate significant issues of sexual entitlement in relation to females” who he views as “sexual objects for his sexual gratification”.

Defence barrister Chudi Grant told the judge: "Vasile Nastase is under no illusion as to the length of the sentence and that it will be substantial.

"Whatever sentence is imposed, on his release he will be nearer to 60.

"It may well be that while serving his sentence he will have to come to terms with, not only his attitudes and how he conducts himself but also what rehabilitative work he can avail himself 
of.

"The road to rehabilitation is not going to be easy for him."

He was told he would spend at least five years and 75 days behind bars before being eligible to apply parole and would be on licence for the rest of his life. At the end of his time in prison the Home Office would have probably deported him.

At Bolton Coroners’ Court an inquest into his death was opened and a full hearing will be held at a future date.

A spokesman for Sodexo, which runs Forest Bank prison, said: “We can confirm there was a death in custody at HMP Forest Bank on Sunday, 1st September.

“Deaths in custody are a tragedy and our thoughts are with the family. As with any death in custody, there will be an investigation by the independent Prisons and Probation Ombudsman and therefore we are unable to comment further at this stage.”