Man who raped woman in Glasgow city centre jailed

A failed asylum seeker who grabbed a drunk woman off the street and carried her to a bin storage area and raped her has been jailed for five years and six months.

Hasan Garzouli, 27, from Algeria, was convicted of raping the woman – who was a stranger - at a bin storage area behind a fast food outlet at the junction of Argyle Street and Mitchell Street, Glasgow, on September 23, 2018.

Lord Clark told Garzouli: “Your victim was crossing a street in the centre of the city centre heading towards a bus stop.”

The High Court in Glasgow heard that Garzouli, who was standing near the bus stop grabbed the woman, lifted her up and carried her to the bin storage area and raped her.

Lord Clark said: “When she got to her feet she was disoriented, very upset and incapable of having sex. The jury concluded she was under the influence of alcohol or some other substance and incapable of giving consent to having sex. This incident has left a lasting impact on the woman.”

Garzouli, who claimed to have had a traumatic childhood in Algeria, alleged that the woman had agreed to have sex with him, but the jury did not believe him.

The court heard that Garzouli, who has convictions in England for theft, robbery and handling stolen goods, is assessed as a high risk of re-offending for sex crimes.

Lord Clark ordered Garzouli to be monitored in the community for two years after his release from jail and told him: “You pose a high risk for further offending of this kind.”

Garzouli was placed on the sex offenders' register.

Defence counsel Niall McCluskey said: “Mr Garzouli continues to maintain his position that they had consensual sex.