JAILED FOR RAPE AFTER ATTACK ON WOMAN IN HER HOME
SENTENCING UPDATE 20-01-2026 A man described in court as having a long-standing crack cocaine addiction has been sentenced to four years and six months in prison after being convicted of raping a woman who had offered him accommodation.Gordon Leitch, aged 51, assaulted the woman after moving into her home shortly after being discharged from hospital.
The offence took place in Kirkcaldy in April 2024.
At the High Court in Edinburgh, the judge said the victim’s act of kindness had been repaid with extreme violence, telling Leitch that he had frightened and coerced the woman into sexual activity.
The court was told the attack left the victim deeply traumatised, with lasting effects on her mental health that have prevented her from returning to work.
Evidence heard by the court indicated that Leitch had been released from a psychiatric ward and contacted the woman to say he had nowhere to stay.
She agreed to let him move in.
During his time there, he was described as withdrawn, often sitting in silence and staring out of a window, repeatedly claiming that people were coming to get them.
On the morning of the attack, Leitch suddenly became violent, grabbing the woman by the neck and subjecting her to a sustained assault.
After the incident, the victim fled the house in distress and sought help from a neighbour, who contacted police.
The judge noted that Leitch had told a psychologist he was using crack cocaine at the time of the offence.
In mitigation, defence counsel said Leitch expressed remorse and claimed to have been free from drugs for around two years.
In addition to the custodial sentence, Leitch was placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely, and the court imposed a non-harassment order to protect the victim.
Conviction 2025: A former psychiatric patient was jailed after raping a woman who offered him a place to stay on his release from hospital.
Gordon Leitch attacked the woman at her home and subjected her to a sexual assault before she fled to a neighbour’s house in distress.
The woman was found in a state of distress, with the police responding to her call.
Leitch, 51, formerly of Kirkcaldy, admitted assaulting and raping the woman on April 4.
He was earlier admitted to a hospital psychiatric ward and had contacted the woman to stay at her house.
The court heard he would sit staring out a window and often claimed: “They are coming to get us.” On the day of the attack, he sat looking out a bedroom window and made lewd remarks.
He then pushed her over, sat atop her, and repeatedly pulled at her clothing while grabbing her neck, before raping her.
Judge Matt Jackson KC deferred sentencing for a background report and remanded Leitch, who had been on bail.
