A sex attacker who hid in a house in Dundee before launching a sustained assault on a woman was jailed for more than two years.
Liam Gray subjected his frightened victim to the ordeal in her own home after she earlier rejected advances he made towards her.
A judge told Gray, 28, at the High Court in Edinburgh: “I am satisfied only a prison sentence is appropriate on this occasion.”
Lord Harrower made a non-harassment order prohibiting Gray from contacting or attempting to contact the woman for an indefinite period.
The judge said when the woman was asked how the offence had affected her she replied: “Badly”.
Hidden attacker
Gray, formerly of Strathmartine Road, Dundee, was convicted of carrying out the sexual assault in his home city in March 2021 following a trial but was acquitted of an allegation he raped the woman.
The jury at the High Court in Stirling heard how he repeatedly sent text messages to her containing sexual remarks but she turned down his advances.
They had had a brief relationship after meeting on Tinder but it had ended by the time he went to a barbecue at her home.
After the gathering finished, Gray had been in her room but said he was going to leave.
She heard the front door open and close and he sent her further messages indicating he had left.
However, he had hidden within the property while she locked up and then burst into her bedroom.
Gray exposed himself and repeatedly kissed her and demanded she perform a sex act on him.
He seized the woman, dragged and pulled her and threw her onto a bed and forced her to touch him.
Adverse childhood
Defence counsel Drew McKenzie told the court Gray suffered adverse experiences as a child and was placed in foster care.
He said: “Alcohol appears to have been a problem in the past and was related to offending behaviour but he tells a social worker he now barely drinks.”
As well as being jailed for two years and three months, Gray was told he will be on the sex offenders register for 10 years.
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