SNS GroupA man who texted his victim “I feel bad” after subjecting her to a violent rape has been jailed for seven years and three months.
Alquimedes Gabriel Duran Geraldino, 35, sexually assaulted the female, who can’t be named for legal reasons, at a location in Edinburgh in January 2024.
A jury sitting at the High Court in Edinburgh heard that the Venezuelan national also subjected his victim to physical and emotional abuse.
Jurors heard how he forced his way into her home and then punched her on the face before kicking her on the body. The assault left her with a broken nose.
They heard how Geraldino had uttered offensive and threatening remarks towards her. The woman gave evidence about how he accused her of “sleeping with half of Edinburgh”.
He then further traumatised her by sending her a text message in which he said he felt ‘bad’.
Eventually, the woman contacted the police, and detectives managed to launch an investigation, which allowed them to charge him.
On Thursday, Geraldino, of Northfield, Edinburgh, appeared for sentencing before judge Lord Cubie.
Lord Cubie told Geraldino, who could be seen weeping during proceedings, that he had to go to prison for what he had done.
Speaking about a statement provided to the court by the victim, Lord Cubie said: “The jury has found you to be controlling, violent and abusive.
“The Victim Impact Statement is powerful. She has suffered physical injuries, and she suffers from psychological injuries.
“There are mental scars. She suffers from panic attacks, flashbacks, sleep disturbance and shame.
“The consequences for her are long-standing and far-reaching.”
Geraldino was found guilty on rape and abuse charges at the end of a trial last month. He had spent the proceedings denying any wrongdoing.
Geraldino spent his entire trial sitting alongside a Spanish translator who explained the evidence presented against him in his native language.
The jury was played a recording which was made earlier of the woman, who was aged 28, giving evidence.
She said that Geraldino had come to Edinburgh from Venezuela.
In the recording, she told them of how Geraldino treated her.
She added: “He called me a streetwalker. He said I had slept with half of Edinburgh.
“I felt bad. I felt humiliated. He was very, very aggressive.”
The court heard evidence that on January 3, 2024, Geraldino forced his way into her home in the city and punched her in the face and kicked her in the body. The attack left her with a broken nose.
He then raped her before sending her the message in which he spoke about his own emotions.
In her closing speech, prosecutor Kirsten Cockburn told jurors that there was enough evidence available to convict Geraldino of his crimes.
She spoke of his cruelty and how he raped her.
Ms Cockburn added: “He compelled her to have sex with him after he had told her she had spent the night with another man.”
Ms Cockburn said the Crown also had evidence of a text sent by Geraldino to the woman. The message read: “I feel bad.”
Ms Cockburn told the jurors they could be convinced of Geraldino’s guilt.
She added: “Taking all of the evidence together, it is clear that the right verdicts to return are guilty ones.
“I would invite you to do that.”
On Thursday, defence advocate Victoria Dow told the court that her client knew he would have to go to prison.
But she asked the court for leniency.
She said: “I would ask your lordship to restrict the sentence as much as you possibly can.”
Lord Cubie also placed Geraldino on the Sex Offenders Register for life.
He also handed the offender a life long non harassment order prohibiting him from making contact with his victim.
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