A sex attacker from Stirlingshire who subjected a younger woman to a rape ordeal after she fell asleep was jailed for seven years.
Gordon McFarlane assaulted the woman at a house in Denny and continued the attack after she woke up.
McFarlane, 55, formerly of Dunure Crescent, Bonnybridge, also sent sexualised images to the woman.
Judge Fiona Tait told him at the High Court in Edinburgh: “These sexual offences are of considerable gravity.”
The judge said only a custodial sentence was appropriate disposal and added the victim should be commended for giving evidence.
The court heard McFarlane was assessed as posing a medium risk of further sexual offending.
Guilty after trial
He earlier stood trial at the High Court in Livingston after denying a series of charges but was found guilty of the rape, committed in December 2019.
It began when the woman was asleep and incapable of consenting and the sexual communications took place .
The crying victim phoned a friend after the attack and said she could not believe what happened to her.
The woman, now 33, said she could not tell her friend the details because it was “disgusting” but immediately identified McFarlane as the perpetrator.
Between October 2020 and September the following year, McFarlane sent to the woman an image of a man and woman taking part in sexual activity and another of him in a state of undress.
Maintains innocence
Defence counsel Wendy Culross told the court: “He understands he has to accept the verdict of the jury while he maintains his innocence.”
She said although McFarlane had a criminal record it was not for sexual offending.
The defence counsel said he was willing to take part in offence-focused work and a background report documented “significant negative childhood experiences”.
McFarlane was told he will be on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.
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