Sex attacker raped woman hours after being freed from jail

A sex attacker who raped a woman just hours after he had been freed from jail has been jailed for seven years.

Thomas Gordon’s victim had earlier written a bogus letter to help get him released.

Gordon made the woman claim she did not want to press charges after he was held for assaulting and stalking her, as well as daubing graffiti at her home.

The 30-year-old struck at a house in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, on September 20, 2019, having already carried out a sex attack on another woman.

Gordon was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow on Wednesday having earlier been found guilty of ten charges.

It emerged he already had a previous conviction for a serious domestic assault with a knife.

‘The jury reached the conclusion that you subjected the women to a violent course of conduct. Your offending has escalated to a new and worrying level.’
Lord Weir

Lord Weir told him: “The jury reached the conclusion that you subjected the women to a violent course of conduct.

“Your offending has escalated to a new and worrying level.”

Gordon will also be supervised for three years on his release.

He was put on the sex offenders list and must not contact the victims – both for an indefinite period.

Weeks before the rape, Gordon had kicked the woman on the head then left her terrified by leaving a string of texts and voicemails.

He also painted “abusive messages” on the walls and door of her home.

Gordon eventually ended up on remand in HMP Addiewell in West Lothian. But he then contacted a relative of the woman to get in touch with her.

Gordon explained: “I asked to see if she could tell the court that the kick which happened was an accident.”

His lawyer Tony Lenehan put to him: “Was it intended to get the charges dropped?”

Gordon: “I was going to plead guilty to the vandalism charge.”

The woman went on to write “four pages of lies” for Gordon, who ended up being freed on bail on September 19.

That night he and the woman had a Chinese meal together.

But, the next morning, Gordon raped the victim, which also included shouting and swearing at her as well as grabbing her by the throat.

Gordon claimed the woman had agreed to any sexual activity.

He insisted: “I am certainly not a rapist.”

However, on February 28, 2019, he had pounced on another woman at a different address in Airdrie.

That attack saw violent Gordon stamp and kick on his victim, as well as trying to yank off some of her clothes.

He was later behind a string of bizarre food deliveries to her home to “wind her up”.

Gordon had also punched and kicked on other occasions.

Among the charges, Gordon was convicted of raping one of the women, assaulting her and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

He was further guilty of assaulting the other victim with intent to rape and physical attacking.

Gordon, of Airdrie, was also convicted of being threatening and abusive to both.

His advocate Mr Lenehan said Gordon “maintains the position” of denial at his trial.