Rapist who preyed on vulnerable teen suffering from effects of heat in wooded area jailed for six years

A man who raped a vulnerable teenager who was suffering the effects of heat on a summer’s day has been jailed for six years.

Liam Mair, 27, raped his victim at a wooded area off the Kelvin walkway in Glasgow at the city’s botanic garden.

A judge told Mair at the High Court in Edinburgh: “Her young age and vulnerable condition must have been obvious to you at the time.”

Judge Alistair Watson said the evidence showed that Mair was passing through the area with associates when he chanced upon the victim who was wandering about “suffering from the effects of heat” .

The judge said: “The evidence shows that you took advantage of her.” The victim said that she suffered significant pain during the sexual assault on her.

He said it was clear that the offence has caused long term psychological damage to the victim.

Mair, from Newcastle, had earlier denied committing sex offences against the teenager on June 28 in 2021 but was found guilty of the rape offence at the walkway between Queen Margaret Drive and Queen Margaret Road.

Defence counsel Sarah Livingstone said the offence was totally out of character for Mair who has a good work record. She told the court: “He has always presented to me as polite and courteous.”

“He recognises that a lengthy custodial sentence is inevitable,” she said.

The judge made a non harassment order banning Mair from communicating or attempting to communicate with the victim and from approaching within 100 metres of her for an indefinite period.

Mair was also told that he would be put on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.