Sunderland man jailed for brutal rape recorded on phone

Richard Cromarty, an engineer who claims to have been offered a position in Formula 1, was convicted of raping a woman in Sunderland. The court heard that Cromarty subjected the woman to a series of sexual assaults, treating her as a 'sex slave' and inflicting harm that left her screaming in terror. The victim recorded one of the assaults lasting over 20 minutes on her mobile phone, which was a key piece of evidence in the case. Judge Paul Sloan QC at Newcastle Crown Court described the recording as 'harrowing,' noting that the woman was in distress and repeatedly begged Cromarty to stop. Cromarty, 46, who was of no fixed address at the time, pleaded guilty to four counts of rape. Prosecutor Michael Hodson said Cromarty turned the woman into a 'sex slave' during these incidents. Cromarty was caught when he contacted police and the victim disclosed the abuse. The court sentenced him to 10 years in prison and ordered that he sign the sex offender register indefinitely.