A RAPIST who kept his victim caged for five months has been freed after serving four years of a life sentence.

Arben Doci, 25, did not pose a “significant risk” the Appeal Court has ruled.

He was jailed in March 2006 after being convicted by a jury of three counts of rape and one count of false imprisonment. He admitted three counts of assault causing actual bodily harm.

Judge Anthony King told Doci during his trial that he would even contact the Home Secretary to ask he be deported on release from prison.

But Mr Justice Supperstone, sitting at the Appeal Court this week, said: “We have no doubt that the seriousness of the offences committed warranted the imposition of a lengthy custodial sentence. However, we are of the view that a life sentence is not appropriate in the present case. We are not satisfied, having regard to all the evidence, that there is a significant risk that he will commit further specified offences or that, if there is such a risk, he will cause serious harm thereby.”

The Appeal Court substituted a 10-year ‘life’ term, but, since Doci would serve only half of that in prison, and had already served a year on remand, it means he will be released immediately.

The court heard Doci, last of Copse Lane, Marston, Oxford, had suffered a traumatic childhood and had witnessed his father’s assassination in Albania. After moving to Britain he showed signs of post-traumatic stress disorder, but the court was told his behaviour was kept in check by a supportive family whom he lived with in Norwich. Yet Doci changed when he moved to Oxford in 2004 and developed a cocaine habit, the court was told.

The offences were committed between January 15 and May 3 2005, when Doci was 18.

The original case heard he had “poor victim empathy” and posed a high risk to the public.