Man jailed for four and a half years after raping woman at Yoker flat

A Glasgow man who sent laughing emojis to a friend after raping a young woman has been jailed for four and a half years.

John Thomson, 52, took advantage of his sleeping victim at his then flat in Glasgow's Yoker on July 19 2020.

He went on to mock the woman which also included him and a friend later having a "carry on" with her underwear which had been left behind.

Thomson - almost 30 years older than the victim - was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow.

Jurors had convicted him of the rape charge after a trial last month.

Lady Stacey told him: "The jury accepted that you had sex with a young woman when she was in no condition to look after herself.

"You knew that - but you had sex with her nonetheless.

"I have read the victim impact statement and it has had a serious effect on her."

Thomson, now of the city's Knightswood, was also put on the sex offenders list indefinitely.

The attack happened after the woman and others had been at Thomson's home.

She took unwell after drinking and went to Thomson's bed.

It was there he went on to rape the woman, who was in no fit state to consent.

She later left the flat leaving some of her belongings behind before police were alerted.

Thomson told officers the woman was a "silly wee lassie" who had been "steaming drunk".

He stated to his lawyer Sarah Livingstone during the trial that he was "very angry" at being accused of rape.

But, jurors heard how Thomson sent a crude WhatsApp message to a friend boasting about sex with the victim along with three crying laughing emojis.

Prosecutor Alexander Sutherland put to him: "That is not the kind of message a person who is annoyed would send?"

Thomson: "No."

The trial was also told the victim's underwear had been found in the flat the morning after.

A friend's of Thomson's had then put the pants on his head before they ended up in a bin bag.

Mr Sutherland stated to Thomson: "The evidence does not point to tale a of consensual sex.

"You got into bed with the woman...and had sex with her while she was intoxicated. You raped her."

Thomson denied the accusation. He instead told jurors the victim had instigated sex with him despite the age gap.

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