Andrew Wrigglesworth repeatedly raped and sexually assaulted sleeping woman in Aberdeenshire

A rapist who preyed on a sleeping woman in a series of sexual assaults previously told a relative of the victim that he would get “a good few years”.

Andrew Wrigglesworth carried out sex attacks on the woman at addresses in Aberdeenshire when she was asleep or pretending to be sleeping.

Wrigglesworth, 42, formerly of Shipley, in Yorkshire, had denied raping the victim during a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh but was found guilty of the sex crime by a majority verdict of the jury.

A judge told him: “You have been convicted by the jury of a very serious and concerning offence.”

Lord Weir rejected a motion by Wrigglesworth’s defence counsel to continue his bail while a background report is prepared on him ahead of sentencing next month.

The judge told him that his conviction represented “a material change” in his circumstances and he would be remanded in custody.

Defence counsel Paul Keenan said Wrigglesworth understood a custodial sentence was “inevitable” following the verdict but said he was instructed to seek a continuation of bail.

The court heard that the first offender was released on bail following an initial appearance at Aberdeen Sheriff Court in September 2022.

Wrigglesworth attacked his victim on various occasions between April 2011 and September 2022 at houses in Aberdeenshire. He carried out assaults on her and perpetrated sex acts and rapes when the woman was sleeping or pretending to be asleep.

The distressed victim made an emergency call to report him to the police in 2022 after she woke up to find him assaulting her again.

Advocate depute Leanne McQuillan said: “The complainer was asleep and could not consent.”

The prosecutor said that by having sex with the woman when she was sleeping or pretending to be sleeping Wrigglesworth had raped her.

Wrigglesworth was placed on the sex offenders’ register.