Man jailed for raping pensioner in her Rutherglen home

A man who violently raped a pensioner in her Rutherglen home has been jailed for eight years.

John Laming attacked the 80 year old last Christmas Eve just 12 days after he had been freed from jail.

The terrified victim yelled for help, but when no one heard, Laming taunted her: "Some neighbours you have got."

The 32 year-old then sat swigging a can of juice after the attack and claimed the OAP was "strong like his granny".

Laming fled, but was soon snared for the crime in Rutherglen.

He has been sentenced having earlier pled guilty to a charge of assault and rape.

Lady Stacey said she had decided against imposing an Order for Lifelong Restriction.

But, she told Laming: “What you did was a terrible crime. You should be completely ashamed.

“It must have been extremely frightening for the woman involved. She was in her own home minding her own business.”

The former heating engineer will also be supervised for a further four years on his release.

The High Court in Glasgow heard how Laming already had a criminal past including a four year prison term for robbery in 2015.

Prosecutor Kath Harper said he was released from jail last December 12.

The victim was in bed when she was awoken by smashing glass around midnight on Christmas Eve.

She got up and was confronted by Laming, who lived in Rutherglen, but was not known to her.

The OAP ordered him out before bravely tackling him.

Miss Harper: "She reached for a metal pole used to open her window. She tried to hit him with it."

The woman also pressed her panic alarm, but it failed to work.

The prosecutor: "She was also screaming. Laming said 'some neighbours you have got' when no one heard."

The victim ended up on her bed with Laming leaning over her.

She pleaded: "What are you doing this to an 80 year-old lady for?"

Laming branded her a "w***e" before going on to rape her in the dining room.

After the attack, Laming helped the terrified woman onto a chair and told her to make a cup of tea.

Miss Harper: "He said she was 'strong like his granny'. He asked if she had any alcohol.

"The woman told him she did not, but there was some juice.

"He took a can and told her she had a much nicer house than him."

Laming left after clearing up broken glass – but returned to ask for his vape e-cigarette which he had dropped.

The victim called her daughter to say a man had "kicked her door in".

Police also arrived before the distressed pensioner was taken to hospital.

As she was being examined, she burst into tears and told a medic: "I fought back."

Her injuries included "multiple" bruises on her neck and body.

Laming was snared near the house he shared with his mum late on Christmas Eve hiding in a garden.

His lawyer Ann Ogg said: “He did not think he was capable of such behaviour.”

Laming was also placed on the sex offenders list.