TWO men who attacked and raped a woman in a west Hull street have been jailed.

Audrius Kasiliauskas and Arvydas Bernotas, both 21, of Gordon Street, west Hull, were branded "worse than animals" as they were jailed for 12 and 13 years respectively at Hull Crown Court yesterday.

The court heard the 52-year-old victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was attacked as she was walking along Ena Street, west Hull, on December 7 last year.

She was crossing the street on her way to work at 5.20am when she heard footsteps behind her.

Prosecutor Jharna Jobes told the court Bernotas started pulling at her handbag and demanded money.

Mrs Jobes said: "She said she didn't have any money and he asked her for her mobile phone, which she said she didn't have.

"He removed her purse from a carrier bag and punched her in the mouth, causing her to fall to the floor."

While she was on the floor Bernotas sat on her chest and repeatedly slapped and punched her in the face.

He and Kasiliauskas then took turns to rape her repeatedly, with the attack lasting for about half an hour.

A taxi driver who was passing saw the incident and called the police.

Officers arrived at about 5.50am and found the two men still there.

They were arrested at the scene and admitted the offences in interview.

Detective Sergeant Tony Reynolds, of Humberside Police's public protection unit, said: "Through the quick response of the public and police we caught the offenders in the immediate vicinity.

"This was a horrific case, the worst I have dealt with, and has been a terrible ordeal for the victim."

The court heard the victim sustained cuts and bruises and was unable to return to work for a number of months.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, she said: "I cannot put into words how I feel about the people who committed this crime.

"My life will never be the same again."

She also said she had suffered flashbacks of the attack.

Bernotas pleaded guilty to two counts of rape, one of assault by penetration and one of robbery. Kasiliauskas admitted three charges of rape at a previous hearing.

Both men, who are originally from Lithuania, said they had been drinking vodka for about 24 hours before the attack and Bernotas described it as the biggest mistake of his life.

Sentencing the pair, the Honorary Recorder for Hull and the East Riding, Judge Michael Mettyear, said: "These are offences of the utmost gravity. You both raped this lady in a public street over a period of about 30 minutes.

"To say you acted like animals, as was suggested in mitigation, is an insult to animals.

"You showed her no mercy.

"She was physically injured and psychologically scarred. Her confidence is broken."

Judge Mettyear recommended the pair should be deported after they have served their sentences.