Rapist attacked woman during 999 call to police

A man who raped a woman as she made a 999 call to police has been jailed for five years.

Paul Batey, 35, ignored her pleas to stop and was "interrupted" in his attack by officers arriving at the scene, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

The woman said she was left suicidal, felt "dirty" for days and had been confronted by supporters of Batey who called her a liar.

Batey, from Birtley, Gateshead, admitted rape and assaulting one of the police officers who had come to arrest him.

The woman was able to call police while Batey was raping her, with operators hearing her crying and him shouting, prosecutor Vince Ward said.

Police quickly arrived and "interrupted" the attack, with officers arresting Batey while he was naked, the court heard.

As he was being detained, he pushed and punched a male officer twice before kicking him in the shins, the court heard.

In a statement read to the court, the woman said the attack had had an immediate and ongoing affect on her.

She said she felt "extremely suicidal" in the aftermath and felt "dirty" for days no matter how many times she washed or bathed.

The woman also said efforts had been made to intimidate her with supporters of Batey going to her house, assaulting her and calling her a liar in public.

Recorder Simon Kealey KC said the woman was begging Batey to stop during the attack but the rapist was "simply not bothered" and ignored her.

The woman had then been subjected to "vitriol" from people who "quite falsely" thought she was lying about Batey, when in fact she was telling the truth, the judge said.

"It was because of your actions in raping her that led other people to think they could behave in this way," the judge told Batey.

The judge praised the woman's bravery and said the attack had "undoubtedly had a very substantial affect upon her".

Batey was also ordered to sign the sex offender register for life.

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