Lanarkshire man jailed for raping sleeping woman

A 65-year-old man has been convicted of raping a neighbour while she was sleeping.

The High Court in Glasgow heard Roy Osborne, of Millburn Court from Symington, Lanarkshire, attacked on 36-year-old Gilliam Beveridge as she dozed on his couch.

She woke up to find him raping her. When she told him to go off her Osborne told her: “You were gagging for it.”

Miss Beveridge, who died a year after the rape, has achieved justice from beyond the grave.

An interview she gave to police on August 12, 2017 helped to convict Osborne.

In the statement, which was read out to the jury Miss Beveridge said that she regarded Osborne as a friend and went to his house three or four times a week for meals.

Miss Beveridge told the police: “I was raped by my neighbour Roy Osborne. Roy was just a neighbour, just a friend. He's an old man and I've never been sexually attracted to him.”

She added: “I had got to Roy's house and I was napping on the couch in the living room. I woke up and he was on top of me. I was shocked. It was so unexpected. His trousers were down and I told him to get off and he told me I was 'gagging for it.

Constable Tracy Anderson, who took the statement, said: “She was very emotional, very upset.”

Miss Beveridge, who worked for Lanarkshire Council as a housing officer, also told police: “Roy would often tell me he loved me, made a song up about me and had dreams about me. I told him I wasn't interested.”

Neighbours who Miss Beveridge went to for help shortly after the rape spoke of her being upset, as did her mother Sheila.

Osborne denied raping Miss Beveridge and claimed he had been having sex with Miss Beveridge since May 2017.

The widower added they "made love" up to four times a week.

He described Miss Beveridge as a "lovely lady".

Quizzed about the rape, Osborne, who had worked as a carer, told the jury Miss Beveridge had sex with him that day after she refused to go to a doctor's appointment.

His advocate Kevin McCallum asked: "Any concerns that she was not willing to participate?"

He replied: "No."

Osborne insisted Miss Beveridge was not under the influence and was "aware of her surroundings".

He added: “We made love and she was awake.”

The jury convicted Osborne of raping Miss Beveridge at his home on August 11, 2017.

Judge Sean Murphy QC deferred sentence on first offender Osborne for background reports, remanded him in custody and placed him on the sex offenders' register.

Osborne shook his head as he was led away to the cells.

Members of Miss Beveridge's family were in tears as Osborne was convicted.