A rapist who took advantage of a drunk, sleeping student in a Dundee flat because he was “lonely” is facing a lengthy jail term.
Ethan Campbell said “oh God, you weren’t awake” when he was caught by the woman.
He later provided a recorded confession to the woman’s friend, in which he said: “I committed the crime of rape – I raped her.”
The 21-year-old is now locked up ahead of sentencing after pleading guilty to carrying out the September 17 2022 rape at an address in Dundee.
Raped sleeping woman
The High Court in Dundee heard how first offender Campbell got into the woman’s bed to watch a film.
She had vomited earlier in the night after consuming too much alcohol.
Advocate depute David Logan described how the pair had been discussing the woman’s boyfriend before Campbell lay next to her with his hand between her legs.
Mr Logan said: “The accused decided to test things out and see if she would say ‘no’.”
The prosecutor said Campbell touched her indecently over her shorts before escalating the sexual contact while she was incapable of giving consent.
The court heard Campbell described her body as being “limp and heavy” and he could see her eyes were closed.
Campbell – who sat with his head bowed as Mr Logan read the Crown narrative – kissed the woman “forcefully” but her mouth would not open.
He then raped her without using a condom.
When the woman woke up and asked Campbell what he was doing, he replied: “Oh God, you weren’t awake, you weren’t awake”, before getting up and getting dressed.
‘Sorry’ text
Mr Logan went on: “He sent a text saying ‘sorry’ and asked about contacting the police.
“A short time later, she contacted a friend and wanted to talk. She broke down about what happened.
“On the same morning, they went to Ninewells Hospital to get a test but they were sent to the police.
“She was in shock and didn’t know what to do.
“She left the police station and disclosed what happened to her mother. She was sobbing and shocked.”
Campbell was confronted about the attack and made full admissions to a friend who recorded the conversation.
He said he wanted to go to the police straight away.
At one point, Campbell was said to have reached for a kitchen knife.
Recorded confession
In the recording, he said: “I took advantage of her. I thought I had consent but in retrospect, I clearly didn’t.
“I have done something terrible. I am going to fully cooperate with any police investigation.
“I committed the crime of rape. I raped her.”
Campbell later went to a police station voluntarily and answered a series of questions.
When asked about consent, he said he understood what it meant and said he “didn’t think about it” at the time of his attack.
He said: “I was thinking about just continuing what I was doing – nothing else crossed my mind.
“I just wanted to sleep with someone because it had been so long and I was so lonely.”
Failed to admit guilt, despite background
Despite his initial insistence on co-operating and his eventual guilty plea Campbell, of Links Road in Tayport, only admitted the attack on the week he was due to stand trial.
The woman provided pre-recorded video evidence in advance.
Defence counsel James Keegan KC said: “It’s a tragic case.
“All the information in this narrative about events of that night have come from the accused because that’s what he told the police.
“He really ought to have tendered a plea of guilty at the earliest opportunity.
“I do not know why he decided to take another course. He just couldn’t bring himself to proceed.”
Judge Lord Harrower told Campbell, who brought a bag to court,: “As has been indicated, you are aware that a custodial sentence will be inevitable for a crime of this seriousness and on that basis, you will be remanded in custody.”
He was placed on the sex offenders register and will be sentenced next month once a social work report is prepared.
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