A rapist was caught drink-driving his mother’s car through Angus hours before a High Court jury convicted him of the sex attack.
Disgraced former fashion store boss Ryan Steehouder was caught driving while over the limit the evening before appearing dishevelled in the dock to be found guilty of the rape.
This week, Steehouder appeared at Forfar Sheriff Court via a video link from HMP Edinburgh, having been given an extended eight-year sentence.
The sex offender received more jail time and given a substantial ban.
Caught in Angus
Steehouder, 33, of Justice Street, Aberdeen was caught on the A90 at Balnabreich, near Brechin.
Fiscal depute Bill Kermode explained police found him “sitting in the central reservation.”
He told officers he had taken the car without permission.
An open can of alcohol was found within the car.
When asked who had been behind the wheel, he replied: “Obviously it’s me that’s driving.”
His solicitor said: “At that period of time, he was on trial at Edinburgh High Court.
“The jury was about to be charged.”
The lawyer explained Steehouder was aware he could be facing imprisonment the next day.
Hours later, he was convicted and remanded.
On Tuesday, he pled guilty to driving with excess alcohol (30 mics/22) on November 26 last year, while on bail.
He also admitted driving his mother’s private-plated vehicle without insurance.
Will still be banned when freed
The court heard that in 2014, Steehouder was convicted of an analogous offence of failing to provide a sample to police who suspected him of drink-driving.
Sheriff Johnston fined him £250 for drink-driving and another £60 for driving without insurance.
He asked for no time to pay, equating to 14 days imprisonment.
The court heard Steehouder is due to be released in five and a half years but will be eligible for parole in three.
Sheriff Johnston disqualified him for six years, ensuring whenever he is released from prison, he will still be banned from the road.
The sheriff said she wanted to emphasise “if somebody anticipates they’re going to get a very large sentence the next day” and they decide to put people in danger on the road immediately beforehand, their punishment would not be “swallowed up”.
She said: “The effect of your serving a sentence is… it would mean… no effect on you at all.
“I consider it very much in the public interest that I extend the period, which will protect the public for time beyond the custodial term.
“Accordingly, I’m going to impose six years disqualification from today, which will take you, at the very least, six months beyond when you are liberated from your custodial sentence.”
Survivor’s relief over rape conviction
Steehouder worked in the oil and gas sector for 10 years before opening designer clothes store 1 Off at the Galleria in Aberdeen.
In November, a High Court jury convicted him of rape after he claimed an attack was just “a bit of role-play”.
He preyed on a woman who was forced to endure repeated physical and sexual abuse between May 2011 and April 2015 in the Aberdeen area.
After Steehouder was jailed and placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely, the survivor of his attack said: “I’m absolutely over the moon.”
She added: “Justice has well and truly been served. I hope he now realises that he isn’t untouchable.”
Steehouder was also given a 15-month jail sentence in September 2022 for subjecting a former girlfriend to a series of violent assaults and emotional abuse.
The physical and mental abuse of the woman included slamming her head against a car window and posting on social media he was sitting outside her home with a knife.
His abuse more than a year and he repeatedly breached court orders to stay away from her.
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