A pregnant woman claims she fought off her violent ex-husband by throwing boiling water over him after he kidnapped and was raping her.

The startling images were taken by cops in the town of Eldorado in the southern Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul.

Local media report the victim, who has not been named but is 20 years old, was kidnapped from her home by the suspect, her ex-husband, also 20 years old, with the help of the victim’s brother and another woman.

The victim’s mother-in-law and other neighbours reportedly saw her being bragged into a car which fled the scene at high speed.

The woman, who is four months pregnant, was reported as missing and police found her the following day in a house where she was reportedly being kept captive by the suspect who tortured and repeatedly raped her, according to police.

The suspect is said to have confessed to having carried out the crimes to police and said the victim took advantage of a moment of carelessness to throw boiling water in his face during her time in captivity.

Images show his face, neck and upper chest were seriously burnt in the incident whilst the victim showed signs of having been assaulted with cutss to her fingers and bruising to the back of her head.

The suspect is said to have told investigators he committed the crimes as he could not accept that his ex-wife had broken up with him seven months earlier and started seeing another man.

Chief investigator Pablo Reis said the prisoner will respond to the crimes of kidnapping, false imprisonment, torture and rape.

The victim’s brother and the woman who allegedly helped kidnap her were also arrested but have not yet been charged.

The victim was taken to the local Iguatemi Municipal Hospital for tests. There are no updates on her condition.

The case is ongoing.