The 21-year-old woman was attacked nearly every day, as her torturer exercised his sadistic tendencies on her – while his wife did nothing to stop it – in order to avoid attracting his violence herself, the court heard.

The 51-year-old man, named only as Horst. K., was sentenced to eight years and ten months in prison, while his wife Lilia was given just three-and-a-half years.

Weeping, Lilia K. said she was terribly sorry and called out to her victim in court, “You know that I really liked you.”

Both admitted having imprisoned the former girlfriend of their son and keeping her like a slave, abusing her physically at their home in the village of Haßmersheim, Baden-Württemberg.

Horst K. was convicted of kidnapping as well as 50 counts of aggravated assault and 71 counts of malicious injury, the Süddeutsche Zeitung reported. Initial charges of sexual abuse were dropped.

Lilia K. was convicted of kidnapping but the court heard that she was so dominated by her violent husband that she pretty much had no will of her own.

The young woman who they held prisoner came to the family having made friends with their son over the internet. She moved into the family home in March 2010 and all was well for about three months, the Süddeutsche Zeitung said.

But then Horst K. started to abuse her and she was made to work in the house and was not allowed to leave.

She managed to escape this June – jumping out of a window after about a year of beatings and imprisonment, despite the threats to cut her head off if she tried to leave.

The couple were convicted in a similar case in 2002, the Süddeutsche Zeitung reported – for injuring Lilia K.’s underage sister with a metal bar and a chain. Then Horst K. was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison for abusing a ward, and his wife being put on probation for two years.

DAPD/The Local/hc