Da Vinci rapist could be monitored for life after latest conviction

The so-called Da Vinci rapist could be monitored for life after he was found guilty of two other rapes at around the time of his attack on a student near Rosslyn Chapel.

Robert Greens, 49, was jailed for ten years in 2006 after he was found guilty of raping a Dutch student the previous May near the chapel in Midlothian, which was made famous by the best-selling novel, The Da Vinci Code.

He was convicted of raping another woman on two occasions between July 2003 and May 2005 at locations including Midlothian following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow this summer.

Greens was also found guilty of assaulting the woman between March 2000 and May 2005 on various occasions at places including Edinburgh, Fort William and Midlothian.

Greens had been due to be sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow on Wednesday; however, Judge Lord Mulholland ordered a risk assessment report to be carried out to determine whether an Order for Lifelong Restriction (OLR) would be appropriate.

He said that calling for a risk assessment does not necessarily mean he will impose an OLR but that he would like to see a report.

An OLR is a lifelong sentence comprising a period in custody followed by lifelong monitoring if the parole board considers the person can be released.

Richard Goddard KC, representing Greens, who appeared virtually, had argued against an OLR and suggested the judge consider an extended sentence.

He said: “The risk criteria for the OLR is if there is a likelihood that at liberty the person would endanger the lives of members of the public at large.

“It cannot be said in this man’s case that there is a likelihood.”

Mr Goddard pointed out that the offences of which Greens was found guilty this summer date from more than 20 years ago and that Greens was in his early to mid 20s at the time and is now nearly 50.

Lord Mulholland said: “Just because I call for a risk assessment does not mean I would necessarily impose an OLR.

“I will look at what you say and I will look at whether an OLR is appropriate in this case.”

He added: “If it is competent, I would not be sentencing on the rape of the Dutch girl; he has been sentenced for that.

“It would be in relation to what he was convicted of.”

He set a further hearing for November 5 this year.

The rape of the 19-year-old Dutch student happened near Rosslyn Chapel, the setting for Dan Brown’s novel and the movie starring Tom Hanks, which the teenager had been visiting.

She was so badly injured that a motorist who saw her standing by the side of the road thought she had been hit by a car.