A burly sex attacker who carried out assaults on women in Fife towns two years apart has been jailed.
Stuart Cooper used his body weight to pin a victim down before subjecting her to a rape ordeal at a house in Methil.
But Cooper, 43, had struck before when he sexually assaulted another woman at an address in Leven, who was pushed and pinned onto a bed.
Last month when he was found guilty, the High Court in Edinburgh heard the first woman was “too scared” to report the incident at the time.
‘Little mitigation’
Following the completion of background reports, Cooper was sentenced at the High Court in Dundee via a video link from HMP Edinburgh.
His solicitor advocate Johnathan Crowe said: “By way of mitigation, there is little I can say.
“Mr Cooper maintains his position of denial.
“The writer of the report advises Mr Cooper demonstrated some insight.
“Mr Cooper is someone who has previously been subject to court orders.
“He was born and bred in the Walsall area of England.
“He had no involvement with his father in his upbringing.
“From the age of 12, he left the family home to take up employment. He has always worked.
“Further to that, he is coping with the prison system. He is putting his time to good use.
“He knows full well that he will be sent to prison today.
“He advises he will be reflective.”
Mr Crowe said his client had had four serious previous intimate relationships and the amicable relationships he has retained are demonstrative of his behaviour not being a pattern.
Lord Fairley sentenced Cooper to five years imprisonment, backdated to November 15 when he was first remanded.
Cooper will also be on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.
Trial
Cooper, of Wilson Avenue, Denny, in Stirlingshire, had denied a series of charges during a trial, but was found guilty of three offences.
He was convicted of sexually assaulting the first woman on an occasion between July and December in 2015 when he repeatedly touched her, pushed her and pinned her down, struggled with her and tried to remove her top.
He was also found guilty of raping the second woman on an occasion between March and June in 2017 after using his body weight to pin her down and struggling with her.
The groundworker was further convicted of attacking a taxi driver, who he punched on the head at Oakvale Road, in Methil, on May 21 2017.
Kneed attacker in privates to escape
The first woman told the court that during the attack on her Cooper was trying to have sex with her but she did not want that and told him so.
The 31-year-old said she was scared and told advocate depute Steven Borthwick KC she told Cooper “multiple” times to leave her alone.
She said that she kneed him in the privates as she tried to get away from him and he fell on the bed before she got out of the house.
After the verdicts were returned the jury heard that Cooper has previous convictions, including for assault.
For more local court content visit our dedicated page, or join us on Facebook.
