Robber released early from prison raped student, 18
‘Please don’t do that to me’
A CONVICTED robber carried out a terrifying rape less than three weeks after being freed early from jail.
In the latest soft touch justice system scandal, Mark Arnott pounced on an 18-year-old medical student at a car park near Dundee University.
He threatened to stab the teenager and forced her to have sex before her cries were heard by people leaving a nearby dance class.
A judge heard yesterday how Arnott, 37, had only been back on the streets for 20 days when he struck. He was on licence having been jailed for robbery. The sentence had not been due to expire until May 2020.
Last night, Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Liam Kerr said: ‘This is another appalling example of a soft touch justice system in action.
‘This man was sentenced to stay in jail until 2020 and, had that been the case, the woman would never have had to go through this horrific ordeal.’
He added: ‘When courts hand down sentences, members of the public expect those sentences to be served.’
Arnott was last night behind bars after he pleaded guilty to a rape charge. He will be sentenced next month. The High Court in Glasgow heard how he was seen on CCTV in West Henderson’s Wynd.
Cameras caught him running up behind the teenager and grabbing her. She feared being stabbed.
The young woman was then dragged into the car park while trying to break free. She noticed Arnott was clutching a condom packet.
Prosecutor Lynsey MacDonald said: ‘She pleaded, “No, no, please don’t do that to me”.’
The teenager begged to be released, but Arnott demanded she strip. He eventually forced her over the bonnet of a car and raped her.
As her ordeal continued, the young woman noticed people leaving a nearby dance class. She yelled: ‘I am being raped... he is raping me.’
Arnott then ran off as one woman initially gave chase. The victim was described as ‘dis- tressed and crying’. Arnott was traced three days later and admitted being out that evening as his ‘head was in a pickle’ because of issues with the mother of his children.
He said he ‘bumped into’ the victim and claimed they ‘clicked’.
The court heard the victim now does not go out alone at night. She is waiting to see a psychologist.
Ronnie Renucci, defending, said Arnott had pleaded guilty to spare his victim ‘any more anguish at his hands’.
Lord Mulholland remanded him in custody and sentencing was deferred for reports.
The judge told Arnott: ‘Be in no doubt about it – this was a horrific ordeal for a young woman to endure at your hands.’
The case follows a public outcry at the case of James Wright, who murdered father of three Craig McClelland while ‘unlawfully at large’ after breaching a home curfew order.
Wright, 25, stabbed Mr McClelland, 31, in a street in Paisley last July.
Wright had been jailed in October 2016 for carrying a sharp implement but was released on a home detention curfew on February 13 last year. He breached the order after 11 days but remained at large for six months.