Man raped sleeping woman on her first night out after having baby

Rape: Taylor was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh on Thursday.Katielee Arrowsmith/Deadline News

A man who raped a sleeping woman before taking indecent photographs of his victim has been jailed for five years.

Edward Taylor had his picture taken with his face close to the victim's naked buttocks and private parts.

Taylor, 27, later assaulted the woman and repeatedly punched her on the head, bursting her lip open.

The victim made a 999 call and has been left with a scar following the attack.

On Thursday, Taylor was sentenced by Lord Turnbull at the High Court in Edinburgh.

The judge said: "You participated in a disgraceful course of conduct directed against a young woman who was a stranger to you.

"Because she was intoxicated you treated her as if she was an object to take advantage of for your own sexual pleasure and as if she was worthy of no form of dignity whatsoever."

The judge told Taylor, a roofer from Drumchapel in Glasgow, he accepted he had acted out of character.

Taylor had earlier admitted raping and assaulting the 24-year-old woman to her permanent disfigurement in August last year.

The victim had gone on her first night out since the birth of her child to a nightclub, but during the course of the evening she became separated from friends.

Taylor and a friend of his offered to share a taxi with her after 3am. He invited her to come in for a drink. The court heard she felt safe in their company and agreed.

Advocate depute Iain McSporran said the woman fell asleep on Taylor's bed.

He added: "While she was asleep her dress was pulled up, her pants removed and the accused proceeded to have intercourse with her."

After the sex a series of indecent photos of the still sleeping woman were taken using Taylor's phone. The woman later awoke and got into a struggle with Taylor as he tried to get her out of his flat.

She later went to a neighbour's home and told her she had gone to a house where she fell asleep and was "battered by one of the guys" when she woke.

Police took the woman back to the area to try and find the scene of the incident and she was able to point out Taylor's home, but became upset and alarmed on seeing the house.

When Taylor was interviewed by officers he claimed the sex had been consensual. He admitted that while she was asleep he and his friend started taking pictures of her.

Defence counsel Geoff Forbes said: "He has no reasonable explanation to offer. He expresses sincere and abject apologies and profound regret."

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