Serving police officer 'raped woman as she slept'

A police officer allegedly raped a sleeping woman and later told her nobody would believe her, a trial has heard.

Kevin McKeown is said to have attacked the 47-year-old, who, the court was told, believed he would be “the safest person in the room”.

The 55-year-old is on trial charged with raping the woman at a property in Maybole, Ayrshire, between January 31 and July 1, 1997. He denies the allegation at the High Court in Glasgow.

The woman’s pre-recorded testimony was played to jurors on Thursday.

She had been living with a relative at the time, who had a friend in the police. Her relative’s friend visited along with his then-colleague McKeown.

The woman – who knew McKeown to be a police officer – did not drink alcohol that night as she was on medication. She ended up alone in the living room with him.

Prosecutor Jo McDonald put to the woman: “Did you feel threatened by him?”

The woman replied: “No, as he was a police officer, he would be the safest man in the room.”

She recalled dozing off due to her medication.

Miss McDonald then asked: “What woke you up?”

The woman replied: “The man was on top of me having sex … it’s just a wee bit hard to talk about.

“He was lying on top of me … and my arms were above me being held face down.”

The woman claimed she was quiet but was shaken. She asked him to get off her.

She went on: “I did not want to get in an even worse thing. Things were going through my head – maybe he was smothering me.

“I didn’t want him ending my life. I said you are not getting away with this. He said no one is going to believe you. He had a weird look on his face.”

It was not until October 2018 that the matter was reported to the police.

McKeown is also accused of indecently assaulting another woman at a property in Ayr between January 1 and December 31, 1994.

It is claimed he attacked the woman while asleep and groped her.

McKeown also denies that charge.

The trial, before judge John McCormick, continues.