A woman raped in a hotel room by a serving police officer branded him a "monster" but said he "wasn't successful in fully breaking me". Shamed former Matrix officer Ryan Theaker, 30, sexually assaulted his victim with a sex toy, forced her to pose for sexual pictures, and then raped her.
The Attack and the Recording
The victim, who cannot be legally named because of the nature of the crimes against her, managed to record the assault and her repeated pleas for drunken Theaker to stop on an audio app on her phone. The harrowing audio of the rape was played during Theaker's trial and revealed the dad-of-one's sexual demands while his victim said "get out of me now, you're hurting me".
Theaker, of Park Lane in Netherton, was convicted after trial of rape, sexual assault and assault by penetration. Returning to Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday, he did not react as he was sentenced to 11 years in prison with another five on licence after he was deemed to be dangerous.
Victim's Statement in Court
During Theaker's sentencing, his victim took to the witness stand to face her abuser. She said: "I still struggle to understand how he was able to go into work, arrest someone for a crime that was less or the same as what he had done to me and still be proud to wear that uniform. He didn't deserve to be in the police. He didn't deserve his nice house. He didn't deserve his nice new car.
"I always thought when I was younger that monsters were big horrible nasty creatures who weren't even real. I remember reading a post that said, 'even Scooby Doo taught us the real monsters were always the people'. That is exactly what he is. A monster. The monster never wins. I hope by reporting and bringing this criminal to justice that I have protected a woman from enduring what I have by the hands of him as people like him have no place in society.
"It is true his actions will always impact my life. I'll always be physically and emotionally damaged. He wasn't successful in fully breaking me. Of course, I have to rebuild pieces that he did manage to break but those pieces are so much stronger than before. I am not afraid."
Judge's Sentencing Remarks
Sentencing, Judge Brian Cummings KC told Theaker he was sure his behaviour significantly contributed to the victim's attempt to take her own life, which eventually led to her making a report to the police. "I'm sure you were a large measure for that suicide attempt," said the judge.
Theaker will serve at least two thirds of his 11-year custodial sentence before he is eligible for release. He will then be subject of stringent licence conditions for five years plus the unserved part of his custodial sentence. Judge Cummings added: "I accept there is some cause for hope in your case that you will respond to rehabilitative work...[but] there is a significant risk to members of the public." He will also be on the sex offenders' register for life and subject to an indefinite restraining order against his victim and members of her family.
Prosecution and Defence Arguments
Opening the case in July, prosecutor Gareth Roberts told the trial jury that the city centre hotel rape happened in late 2023. Mr Roberts said: "He told her that he wanted to have sex, and she told him that she didn't want to and that wasn't going to happen. He told her that he wanted to take explicit photos of her naked and started to get his camera out, but, again [she said no to this]. He produced some sex toys that he had brought in a JD bag and told her that he wanted to use them on her. She again refused, saying that was not what she wanted. She was now so worried that something horrible was going to happen that she activated a recording app on her phone that recorded what happened in the room."
In the audio clip of the rape Theaker belched, hiccupped and slurred his words while ignoring his victim who could be heard to say: "You're raping me...I'm telling you I don't want it." Mr Roberts told the jury: "The defendant [refused] to listen to her, or comply with her wishes… and 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. And then we hear her say, clearly, 'get out of me'." Mr Roberts said it was "absolutely clear that she is not consenting."
Jenny Tallentire, defending, told the court that Theaker, who had no previous convictions, was an "excellent police officer" whose actions had led him to lose his job and never be in the force again. The court heard despite Theaker's denials at trial he now accepted the hotel room offences. Ms Tallentire said: "He has described how he has felt hearing those recordings, how he has begun to reflect on the impact of that behaviour on her. He has talked about his own shame, his own embarrassment. He has always had limited recollection, but hearing it has been shocking for him. He has accepted responsibility and recognised his behaviour was unacceptable."
