Court hears harrowing audio of domestic violence

A HARROWING audio recording lasting over two hours which captured a brutal domestic assault on a woman has been played in a Tyrone courtroom.

The recording, played in Dungannon Crown Court last Thursday, revealed in horrific detail the prolonged and sadistic attack carried out by Christopher Rice (39), of Lammy Drive, Omagh, against his ex-partner.

Rice has pleaded guilty to multiple sexual and violent crimes.

The defendant first appeared in court last year, where it was disclosed that the victim’s father contacted police on April 10, 2023, reporting she was in hospital
receiving treatment for three broken ribs, two black eyes and substantial bruising to her face and body.

She had been socialising with Rice and other friends at the defendant’s address, however after the guests left the assault ensued.

He demanded she take off her clothes and when she refused, slapped and punched her
numerous times, before pulling
off her trousers and ripping her bra.

She was ordered to lie down then thrown on the floor and sexually assaulted.

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When she tried to get away, Rice warned, “This would be her last day.”

She again tried to escape but was pushed onto a sofa, punched repeatedly and another sexual assault occurred.

At the same time Rice was trying to film the victim on his phone after having instructed her to lie down while he sexually assaulted her, stating, “I’m not going to show your face.”

They then went upstairs to the bedroom where Rice attempted to rape the woman, however he could not get his penis erect.

However he then tied a t-shirt around neck until she fell unconscious.

When she regained consciousness the victim said she was delirious and though she was lifting her child from school.

At this point Rice was asleep and she phoned her father who took her straight to hospital.

She later attended with police and provided her phone recording of the incident, which contained two hours 20 minutes of “a vicious assault with around 100 punches and slaps heard in graphic detail”, while the victim screamed and begged Rice to stop.

The defendant was arrested and denied all of the offences.

He insisted any injuries were because “she likes to be choked during sex”. Although he refused to listen to the complete recording, he heard sections, but deemed these as “exaggerated – it wasn’t as bad as it sounded”.

Last Thursday, the prosecutor told the court that this was ‘one of the worst’ incidents of domestic violence’, and urged the court to take into consideration the current public interest in violence against women.

Highlighted from the pre-sentence report, the prosecutor disputed the statement that Rice acted out of ‘impulse’, citing the length of the incident and his attempt to record the violent sexual assault showed active thinking to the offences.

Senior defence counsel Seamus McNeil said Rice, who has served 19 months in custody, wished to apologise to the victim and that the offences were his fault, admitting the victim had no wrongdoing.

Mr McNeil added that Rice is now ‘a different man’ compared to when the incident occurred, adding that he is ‘not a dangerous offender’.

His Honour, Judge Brian Sherrard, adjourned the sentencing until January 17.