Rape victim took own life after attack by bailed ex
A WOMAN killed herself days after being raped by her vicious ex-boyfriend while he was on bail for a previous attack on her.
Ryan Graham, 27, assaulted the woman in March this year during an argument.
He was arrested and bailed but days later he raped the woman despite being banned from going near her.
His victim took her own life during the police probe, but a letter describing the sickening attack was later discovered in her home.
Graham denied the charges and claimed anything that happened between them was consensual.
After a trial at the High Court in Glasgow, Graham, from Ayrshire, was convicted of a violent and sexual assault on March 8 and raping the 34-year-old woman on March 10, while on bail.
Graham smirked when the verdict was read and gave a ‘thumbs up’ to his family in the public gallery.
Both attacks happened at the victim’s house in Irvine, Ayrshire. Her account was relayed to the court through statements to police and the letter detailing the rape.
Jurors heard that on March 8, Graham got into bed with the woman and pulled the bedclothes off her.
She said: ‘Ryan then pulled my top up to my arms covering my head. I was crying and telling him, “What you’re doing is rape”.’
The woman later gave a statement to police in which she described being sexually assaulted by Graham.
But after being arrested and granted bail, with conditions not to go near her, Graham returned and raped his victim. She reported him again to police but the woman took her own life while the investigation was ongoing.
While clearing out her home, her family discovered the letter about the second attack by Graham.
She said she met him in the street and, after apologising, he threatened her with a knife and forced her to return to her house.
Defence QC Donald Findlay argued it was a breach of Graham’s human rights that his lawyer was not able to cross examine the victim but Judge Sean Murphy, QC, rejected his argument.
Sentence was deferred and Graham remanded in custody.
Detective Chief Inspector John Hogg said: ‘Ryan Graham is clearly a danger to women and Police Scotland will not tolerate domestic abuse in any form.’
‘Clearly a danger to women’