Rapist Sentenced to Five Years After Police Interrupt Attack
Paul Batey, a 35-year-old man from Dorset Avenue in Birtley, Gateshead, has been sentenced to five years in prison after police officers swarmed his address and caught him in the middle of raping a crying woman. The court heard that Batey had only met his victim for the first time on the day of the attack, and after they drank alcohol together, she ended up as a guest at his home.
Brave Victim Dialed 999 During Terrifying Ordeal
During the assault, the brave woman managed to dial 999, allowing the call operator to hear her crying and Batey shouting in the background. This prompted an immediate dispatch of officers to the address. When police arrived, they found Batey naked and in the process of forcing himself on the victim, effectively interrupting the offence as it was happening.
Prosecutor Vince Ward detailed the events, stating, "The operator could hear her crying and him shouting in the background. The police attended very promptly and it appears they interrupted the offence." Upon arrival, Batey went to the window naked and told officers to "f*** off," but they managed to gain entry and arrest him, during which he assaulted a police constable by pushing, punching, and kicking.
Court Hears Details of the Attack and Its Aftermath
The court was told that Batey took the woman upstairs under the guise of showing her his record decks before launching into the sex attack. Mr. Ward explained, "She begged him to stop and was crying but that didn't deter him. He was in the process of raping her when the police arrived at the door." Upstairs, officers found the victim, who immediately reported that she had been raped.
Referring to a victim impact statement, Mr. Ward added that the attack had an enormous and ongoing effect on the woman. "What the defendant has done to her has affected her enormously and has had an ongoing effect. She felt dirty immediately after it happened and that lasted for days," he said. The victim expressed feeling extremely suicidal in the days following the assault, with the incident exacerbating pre-existing thoughts, leading to more than one attempt on her own life.
Sentencing and Mitigation
Batey, who has previous convictions but none for sexual offences, pleaded guilty to rape and assaulting an emergency worker. In addition to the five-year jail term, he must sign the sex offenders register for life and was given a restraining order. Richard Herrmann, defending, stated that Batey's best mitigation was his guilty plea, which spared the victim and others from the ordeal of a trial.
This case highlights the critical role of emergency services in responding swiftly to distress calls and the severe impact of such crimes on victims, underscoring the importance of community safety and support systems in addressing such traumatic events.
