A former Merseyside Police officer has been convicted of rape, sexual assault and assault by penetration after his victim secretly recorded the attack on her mobile phone. Ryan Theaker, 30, of Park Lane in Netherton, committed the offences against a woman in a hotel in Liverpool city centre.
Audio recordings key to conviction
The majority of the hotel rape evidence came from two audio recordings on the victim's phone. The sound files captured 85 minutes of Theaker's attack, documenting his intoxicated aggression and her frantic appeals for him to stop and leave her alone.
The recordings were played to a jury at Liverpool Crown Court during Theaker's eight-day trial. They were described as exceptionally distressing—among the most unsettling a seasoned crime correspondent has heard in a courtroom—and demonstrated, as the prosecution told the jury, a "dangerously violent" individual.
Victim's pleas heard in court
During the audio, the victim can be heard repeatedly pleading with Theaker to "get off me, get off me". Theaker's belching, hiccupping and slurred speech can be heard as he makes demands. The recordings provoked tears from the public gallery, where the victim's relatives sat throughout the proceedings.
Prosecutor Gareth Roberts told the jury: "The defendant [refused] to listen to her, or comply with her wishes." He continued: "We hear him threatening her, telling her to move her hands and expose her breasts to him, so that he could photograph her and touch her." He stated: "It is absolutely clear that she is not consenting."
Verdict and sentencing
After 10 hours and 41 minutes of deliberations, the jury of eight women and four men found Theaker guilty of rape, sexual assault and assault by penetration. The same jury found him not guilty of two offences and could not reach verdicts on two other allegations. He was remanded in custody to appear for sentencing on October 8.
Testifying from behind a curtain, the victim was asked if she had fabricated any allegations. She responded: "This doesn't benefit me at all. I'm exposing my life. I'm embarrassing myself with what I'm saying. It's [taken] me two years to realise I've got nothing to be embarrassed about. I don't deserve that. I'm still damaged from it."
Detective Sergeant Matthew McGuinness said: "Theaker's behaviour over a number of years was abhorrent. The fact that he is a former police officer and chose to deny the offences and force his victim to endure a trial is even more despicable." He added: "It is thanks to the bravery of his victim coming forward that we were able to build a successful case against him which led to his prosecution and sentencing."
Judge Brian Cummings KC told Theaker: "From the moment of the guilty verdicts you were liable as a matter of law to register as a sex offender. The precise duration will be decided as part of the sentencing hearing, but almost certainly it will be a lifelong requirement." The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed it was not pursuing a retrial on the remaining charges.
