Brutal rapist told victim he loved her

A VIOLENT sex attacker raped a stranger as she walked home – before telling her: “I love you”.

Stanislaw Merdacz pounced on the terrified 40-year-old in Paisley last November.

The Polish born 38-year-old also rained blows on the victim, who feared she was going to die.

After the brutal attack, Merdacz then gave her a hug and asked was she “OK”.

A nearby householder came to her aid after finding the woman on her doorstep crying.

Married Merdacz was later snared during a large-scale probe. But the dad initially insisted: “I don’t know nothing.”

He is now behind bars after he admitted a rape charge at the High Court in Glasgow.

He will be sentenced next month.

Merdacz – who worked at a recycling plant – had been out with a colleague last November 26.

They went to a number of bars in Paisley before Merdacz was booted out of one for trying to dance with a number of women in a “provocative manner”.

In the early hours, the victim headed home after she had enjoyed a night out with friends.

Merdacz was spotted lurking from a doorway and then tailing the woman.

He followed her through a number of streets before he struck at a quiet grassed area in the town’s Mosslands Road.

Prosecutor Bernard Ablett said a hooded Merdacz “rugby tackled” the woman before punching her in the face.

She immediately tried to yell for help – but the attacker slapped his hand over her mouth and nose.

Advocate depute Mr Ablett told the court: “He picked up her shoes which had fallen off and assisted her in putting them back on.

“He also pointed to her phone on the grass and told her not to forget it.

“Merdacz then hugged the woman telling her: ‘I love you’. He patted her on the shoulder asking: ‘OK, OK?’”.

The victim raced to a nearby house after spotting lights on. Merdacz meantime fled the scene.

The hysterical and bruised woman was found by the resident and told her: “Sorry, I did not know where to go. I’ve been raped. I’m sorry.”

Merdacz, of Gallowhill, Paisley, was later identified as the rapist following a probe. His DNA was also found on the victim.

But he told officers: “I don’t know nothing. I don’t know what’s happened. I have nothing to hide.”

The court was told that Merdacz had been due to return to Poland on December 22, 2016 – just three weeks after the date of his crime.