Rape captured on cellphone

His crime was recorded by the woman he raped, and he put his selfish desires ahead of everything else, a court has heard.

As a result, the survivor feels like damaged goods and is unable to take enough showers to ‘‘wash away the filth he brought me’’.

Harris Henrick Barry Rangi Kaimanawa Robinson, 20, was sentenced in the Palmerston North District Court to 12 months’ home detention and 100 hours’ community work for the November 2017 rape.

He made advances on the woman, whose name is suppressed, while they were together at a Levin property.

She initially said no, but then agreed, and the pair started having sex.

She grabbed her cellphone and started recording, before telling Robinson to stop, thereby withdrawing her consent.

Robinson, 19 years old at the time, told her no, made a derogatory remark, and continued.

The recording indicates the rape lasted between 18 and 20 seconds.

Robinson pleaded guilty in July after getting a sentence indication in July from Judge Gerard Lynch – the same judge who sentenced him on Friday.

The judge said Robinson knew full well the woman had withdrawn consent.

‘‘The victim is not to blame. Mr Robinson is, for his selfish ideas – and that’s plain from the words he used – for continuing.’’

In her impact statement, the woman said she did the best she could to stop things going so far, but sometimes thought she did not do enough.

She struggled with sleeping and felt like damaged goods, ‘‘like no amount of showers can wash away the filth he brought me’’, the judge quoted from her statement. ‘‘Your actions created a victim out of a female who was a independent, strong and determined young woman,’’ the judge said to Robinson.

‘‘She is a survivor. This doesn’t define her, and nor should it – it defines you. Your challenge now is to commit to the rehabilitation that is available to you.’’ Pre-sentence reports showed Robinson suffered from mental health issues and cognitive distortions around intimate relationships and sexual behaviour, and that he would benefit from treatment programmes.

The judge said Robinson’s mental health issues did not excuse his crime, but showed the offending was not quite as callous as it appeared.