Sex attacker who raped vulnerable teenager and woman jailed

A sex attacker who raped a vulnerable teenager before committing a further rape on another victim has been jailed for seven years.

Andrew Brannan assaulted his first victim after the 16-year-old had been drinking in 2003.

He pretended to her mum that he would sober her up but raped her at a house in Buckhaven, Fife.

The 41-year-old struck again four years later when he attacked another woman, aged 21, at a house in Methil, Fife, when she was asleep.

A judge told him at the High Court in Edinburgh: “On her evidence you acknowledged the next morning that you had done wrong.”

Lord Braid said the offence was aggravated by Brannan telling the victim that there was no point going to the police because she would not be believed.

Brannan had earlier denied raping the teenager between May and July in 2003 and assaulting and raping the second woman between April 23 and May 31 in 2007 but was found guilty of both offences.

The court heard that he continued to deny the charges a jury convicted him of committing.

Defence solicitor advocate Iain Paterson said: “He is entitled to maintain his innocence as he has done.”

He said the dad-of-three was assessed as posing low risk of similar offending.

The court heard that Brannan, who was earlier remanded in custody, has not previously served a jail sentence.

Lord Braid told Brannan that following the sentencing he would be placed on the sex offenders’ register for an indefinite period.

Detective Constable Kenny Watt said: “The young women who agreed to testify against him have shown enormous courage from the time of being approached by the police to having to give evidence in court and their actions means Brannan will now face the consequences of his actions.

“We hope this outcome will help them and their families to move forward.

“I hope the bravery shown by the victim will encourage others who have suffered to come forward.

“We will thoroughly investigate all reports of sexual offences to bring perpetrators of these crimes to justice.”