Polish farmer jailed over Paisley rape

A Polish man who raped a stranger before stating he loved her has been jailed for seven and a half years.

Stanislaw Merdacz pounced on the terrified 40 year-old as she headed home from a night out in Paisley, Renfrewshire last November.

A judge heard how the battered woman feared she was going to die.

Merdacz was later snared, but initially claimed he knew “nothing”.

The 38 year-old – a married farmer from Poland – was today sentenced after earlier admitting to a rape charge.

Lord Burns told the first offender at the High Court in Glasgow he had committed a “brutal and savage attack”.

He went on: “You appear to have targeted her and followed her in order to carry out this crime.”

The judge said it also seemed “no remorse was demonstrated” by Merdacz.

The rapist will also be kicked out of the country when he is eventually freed.

Lord Burns said “it is hoped” the Home Secretary will give “urgent” consideration to his deportation at the time Merdacz is released.

Merdacz will be on the sex offenders register for life.

Merdacz – who had been working at a recycling plant – was out with a colleague last November 26.

Merdacz was later booted out of a Paisley bar for trying to dance with a number of women in a “provocative manner”.

In the early hours, the victim headed home after she had enjoyed a night out with friends.

Creepy Merdacz lurked in a doorway before tailing the woman.

He eventually struck at a quiet grassed area in the town's Mosslands Road.

Prosecutor Bernard Ablett said a hooded Merdacz “rugby tackled” the woman and then punched her in the face.

She immediately tried to yell for help – but the attacker slapped his hand over her mouth and nose.

He soon began molesting the petrified victim as she lay face down on the ground.

Merdacz eventually raped the woman as Mr Ablett told the court: “She believed that she was going to die and started to cry.”

He continued the attack with the mum believing she was punched up to five times.

Merdacz went on to take her bracelet and watch – before handing them back.

Advocate depute Mr Ablett told the court: “He picked up her shoes which had fallen off and assisted her in putting them back on.

“He also pointed to her phone on the grass and told her not to forget it.

“Merdacz then hugged the woman telling her: 'I love you'. He patted her on the shoulder asking: 'ok, ok?'.”

The victim raced to a nearby house after spotting lights on. Merdacz meantime fled the scene.

The hysterical and bruised woman was found by the resident and told her: “Sorry, I did not know where to go. I've been raped. I'm sorry.”

She was described as “breaking her heart crying”.

Merdacz, of Gallowhill, Paisley, was later identified as the rapist following a large scale probe. His DNA was also found on the victim.

But, he told officers: “I don't know nothing. I don't know what's happened. I have nothing to hide.”

The court was told that Merdacz had been due to return to Poland on December 22 2016 – just three weeks after the date of his crime.

His wife and daughter had remained in his homeland. He originally arrived in the UK in January last year.

The victim meantime remains affected by her ordeal. She suffers from anxiety, depression and has not worked since the attack.

John McElroy, defending, said Merdacz had carried out a “vile offence”, which will have “long last consequences” for the woman.

The rapist was described as “not the sharpest tool in the box” and it was claimed he could not remember the attack due to the amount of alcohol he had taken.

As well as the jail term, Merdacz will be supervised for three years on his release.