Man who stabbed woman who refused to have sex with him then raped her jailed

A violent sex attacker who repeatedly stabbed a woman after she refused to have sex with him before then raping her has been jailed for ten and a half years.

Rowan McKenna subjected the victim to an assault which left her fearing for her life at a flat in the Gorgie area of Edinburgh after locking her in the property at a time when he had been freed on four separate bail orders by a court.

A judge said at the High Court in Edinburgh that the violence perpetrated on the woman resulted in scars that she said acted as “a daily reminder” of the rape McKenna carried out.

McKenna was convicted of abducting the woman, who he detained against her will, stabbing her on the body with a knife, threatening to kill her and raping her to her injury and permanent disfigurement in the attack on July 27 in 2023.

He was also convicted of assaulting another woman just weeks earlier on March 7, 2023, at a flat in Leith.

McKenna, 25, subjected her to a violent attack after she turned down his sexual advances.

He threatened to stab her and another woman who was at the flat in Leith, spat on her face, pulled her to the ground and repeatedly kicked her on the head.

Lord Scott said a social worker reported that both of McKenna’s victims were vulnerable at the time of the attacks.

The judge said he had read a statement from the rape victim who had to give up her work in the aftermath of the attack.

“She says she has never been so scared in her life,” he said.

The woman said she spoke out to ensure no one else suffered at the hands of McKenna as she did.

Lord Scott said McKenna, a prisoner in Edinburgh, had given an “almost entirely self-serving account of both incidents” to a social worker preparing a background report and made significant attempts at “victim blaming”.

The judge said he had shown “no victim empathy”.

The court heard that McKenna has a lengthy criminal record, including for crimes of violence. He committed the first attack in Leith when he was subject to a community payback order as an alternative to custody.

Lord Scott said he was faced with an escalating course of sexual offending carried out by McKenna.

The judge said that in the whole circumstances only a jail sentence was appropriate and because of the serious charges, his criminal history and established and entrenched behaviour he would impose an extended sentence.

He ordered that McKenna be under supervision for a further two year period when he will be on licence and can be returned to prison if he breaches its conditions.

Defence solicitor advocate Iain McSporran KC said McKenna had clearly suffered adverse childhood experiences that impacted on his mental health and addiction issues.

McKenna was placed on the sex offenders’ indefinitely and Lord Scott made a non harassment order prohibiting him from contacting or attempting to contact the rape victim for an indeterminate period.

Police Scotland detective sergeant Craig Donnelly said: “My thoughts are with the woman who showed immense strength in assisting our investigation. I hope this sentencing brings her some form of comfort.

“We are committed to bringing those responsible for sexual abuse to justice. We work with a range of partner agencies to support victims and carry out investigations.

“Anyone with concerns or information should contact Police Scotland through 101, or make a call anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”