RAPIST WHO THREATENED VICTIM IN COURT HANDED FURTHER JAIL TERM
A serial sex attacker who threatened one of his victims moments after he was convicted has been handed a further jail term.Convicted rapist Gary Paterson left the woman “terrified” as he made a remark while being led to the cells at the High Court in Glasgow.
The 38-year-old had just been found guilty last December of preying on a total of five victims during a decade-long campaign of abuse.
Paterson was later jailed for ten years, having been convicted of eight charges.
A probe was then launched into the remark, which was heard by others, including the presiding judge.
It led to a fresh case at Glasgow Sheriff Court this week.
The woman told jurors how she had returned to the trial to hear the fate of her attacker.
She was supported by her parents on the public benches.
The woman was relieved as jurors returned guilty verdicts, but was “terrified” by what then happened as Paterson was led handcuffed downstairs to the cells.
She told fiscal Lauren Aitchison: “He threw his chain and jacket at his mum.
“As he was being led down by one of the guards, he pointed at me with his right hand.
“He said, ‘You are a goner’.” “I shouted out that he had just threatened me.
His mum – who was sitting on the other side – said he did not say anything.” Judge Scott Pattison immediately requested that the officers in court investigate the matter.
The victim stated Paterson was filled with “absolute rage” when he made the remark.
Asked by Ms Aitchison what she thought Paterson meant, she said: “He was threatening to kill me.” She told the fiscal she was left “terrified” by what had occurred.
Heather Morrison, defending, put to the woman that Paterson said to her: “I do not know what you are laughing at, they will be coming for you.” She replied that that was not what she heard.
Ms Morrison also asked if she could have been “mistaken” about who Paterson pointed at.
The woman stated: “No.” Paterson was found guilty this week of a charge of threatening and abusive behaviour.
After the verdict, the defence lawyer told Sheriff Barry Divers that any incident that day was “short-lived”.
However, when addressing Paterson, the sheriff stated that he had read the victim’s impact statement and the matter “was not short-lived for her.” Paterson was sentenced to two years – the term will run alongside the ten years imposed in February.
The sex attacks occurred between 2011 and 2022, mainly in Motherwell, Lanarkshire.
He raped one woman, having initially pounced on her while she was sleeping at a property in the town.
Paterson had also once exposed himself to her while they were in a car.
He raped another of the women who had pretended to be asleep, hoping he would leave her alone.
Paterson further pestered her for naked photos.
The attacker sexually assaulted a third female including in a lift.
This included being molested, pushed and pinned against a wall.
He also hounded her on social media and would send her “intimate images” of women – some known to her and others who were strangers.
Another of the victims was harassed online.
Paterson was further guilty of groping a then-young girl and making sexual remarks towards her.
One abuse survivor was left so traumatised she has become “a recluse”.
Others remain in fear of Paterson, who instead claimed he was the “victim”.
