Rapist bit victim on the neck during violent toilet attack

A Fife man has been sentenced to five and half years behind bars after violently raping a young mum at a party.

Gordon Cowan, from Lochgelly, forced the woman into the bathroom of a flat, causing her to strike her head on the floor during the attack.

The 27-year-old then bit the woman on her neck before raping her while her head was pushed against the toilet.

He was on bail for another offence at the time of the attack.

Cowan was blasted by Lord Uist for his lack of remorse during his sentencing at the High Court in Edinburgh.

A jury found him guilty of rape following a trial last month despite his claims the woman had consented.

Passing sentence, Lord Uist told Cowan: “You followed her into the bathroom, where you attacked her. As a result she was greatly distressed and suffered injuries in the form of a bruise on the neck where you bit her and a bruise on her right upper arm.

“You have continued to deny your guilt of the crime and shown no remorse for what you did. The sentence which I impose is five years six months’ imprisonment, of which six months is attributable to the bail aggravation.”

Cowan was also placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

Following the attack on April 22 last year, the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, sent a text to her estranged husband.

She told him something had happened and when he arrived he found her face was marked with tears and she claimed to have been raped.

A police officer told the trial the woman was tearful during her interview and repeatedly vomited into a basin while giving her statement.

Detective Inspector Stuart Morris of Fife’s divisional rape investigation unit, said: “I would like to thank the victim who showed great courage in reporting this particularly distressing crime.

“Although we welcome this conviction and hope it provides some degree of closure for the victim, we are also aware it will never take away the suffering Cowan inflicted on her.”