Renfrew man jailed for sex attack on teens

A sex attacker who raped a teenager because he wanted “five minutes of fun” has been jailed for six years.

26 year-old Ramsay Morris pounced on the 15-year-old girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, at a house in Renfrew in 2010.

The High Court in Edinburgh also heard on Tuesday how Morris also attempted to rape a woman and sexually assaulted another 14-year-old girl, both in 2011.

He was brought to court after his victims found enough courage to tell police about what had happened to them.

Morris, of Paisley Road, Renfrew, was convicted of rape, attempted rape and sexual assault charges following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow.

Sentence had been deferred for the court to obtain background reports on Morris’s character.

On Tuesday, judge Michael O’Grady QC heard how Morris had a learning disability called Asperger syndrome - which defence advocate Joseph Barr said affected his client’s behaviour.

However, Judge O’Grady told Morris that the only suitable sentence available to him in the case was jail.

Passing sentence judge O’Grady said: “I have listened to everything that has been said on your behalf and I take those things into account.

“However, the offences you committed demonstrates that you used guile and planning in the commissioning of these offences.

“The women you targeted were young and vulnerable and you used them quite cynically. That is what is so concerning.

“In the circumstances, the sentence of the court will be one of six years.”

During proceedings last month, prosecutor Michael Meehan QC told jurors of the circumstances surrounding the rape attack.

He said: “There was no one in the house at the time. He stated that he wanted ‘five minutes of fun’. He then unbuttoned his trousers and the girl said no.”

The court also heard how Morris also said to his young victim: “Have you never done this before? Well, you have now.”

Morris wept as he was remanded in custody. As he was led handcuffed to the cells, Morris shouted: “Why? I did not do anything wrong.”

The attacks took place in Renfrew and the south side of Glasgow.

On Tuesday, the court heard that Morris denied telling a social worker who had been commissioned to write a report about his character, that he ‘hated’ his victims.

The court also heard that Morris told the social worker that he had “disdain” for the justice system.

Mr Barr told the court that his client had Asperger’s - a condition on the autism spectrum - and that affected his behaviour.

Mr Barr added: “It is a disability. He can appear to be quite rude. He can appear to be quite blunt.”

The defence lawyer also told the court that Morris was a first offender who hadn’t committed any more crimes.

He added: “He is a respected mixologist and has been quite influential in the development of non alcoholic cocktails and non alcoholic spirits.

“Mr Morris has been an upstanding and respected citizen in the time since these crimes were committed.”

However, judge O’Grady decided to jail Morris.

Speaking about Morris, judge O’Grady added: “He is not an unintelligent man. He does not lack understanding. He has displayed guile - there was a degree of planning involved in the attacks he carried out."

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