Stuart McInnes who attacked and raped sleeping women in Clydebank for more than a decade jailed for 14 years

A man who attacked and raped sleeping women for more than a decade has been jailed for 14 years.

Stuart McInnes subjected two vulnerable victims to repeated sexual assaults and raped a third woman on a single occasion when she was asleep and under the influence of valium.

He carried out his persistent offending between January 2006 and June 2020 at five addresses in Clydebank, in West Dunbartonshire.

McInnes, 57, had denied a series of charges during an earlier trial but was convicted of five offences.

A judge told him at the High Court in Edinburgh that the evidence disclosed a course of criminal conduct “systematically pursued” by him against victims.

His victims were incapable of giving consent because they were asleep and or under the influence of drink or drugs.

Lord Armstrong told McInnes: “The crime of rape is a grave crimes against which all women and girls should be protected.”

The judge said he had read a victim impact statement from one of the women which revealed the devastating and long term consequences for her following the abuse.

Lord Armstrong said: “The crimes of which you have been convicted are disturbing and grave.”

The judge said that because of the nature and seriousness of the offending and the period over which the crimes were committed there was no appropriate alternative to a custodial sentence.

He ordered that McInnes, who has never previously served a jail term, should also be kept under supervision and monitored for a further five years when he is released into the community.

During that time he will be on licence and if he breaches its conditions can be returned to prison.

Lord Armstrong said he considered that the imposition of an extended sentence was necessary to provide adequate protection to the public from serious harm.

McInnes repeatedly raped his first victim and often attacked the woman when she was asleep or intoxicated with alcohol and or prescribed medication.

A second woman was subjected to repeated rapes while she was sleeping or unconsicous and under the infuence of drugs.

The third victim was intoxicated with valium and asleep or unconscious when she was raped at a flat in Clydebank.

A background report prepared on McInnes ahead of sentencing had assessed him as posing a medium risk of sexual reoffending.

Defence counsel Edward Targowski KC said: “He has told the social worker he has no recollection of the offences and clearly that is as a result of consuming drugs and alcohol on a regular basis.”

He added that McInnes has shown remorse and said he is sorry for his actions.

He said that McInnes’ children did not have any contact with him and described him as “a lonely person”.

McInnes was placed on the sex offenders’ register for an indefinite period.