Man jailed for "nightmare" rape of young woman

Unemployed Hamilton followed and grabbed the young woman before ordering her to hand over her mobile phone and subjecting her to the sex attack on May 12 this year.

His victim was so traumatised by the ordeal that she could not remember her own home telephone number to ring for help.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard the woman has since lost all confidence and never goes anywhere unaccompanied and constantly feels unsafe.

The judge presiding over the case said the attack was "the stuff of nightmares" as he jailed Hamilton for five years and four months today.

Hamilton, of Linnet Brae, Livingston, pleaded guilty last month to assaulting, robbing and raping the teenager at the footpath running parallel to Howden West Road, the dual carriageway which runs past St John's Hospital.

The court heard the victim was attacked at around 4.20pm as she walked home from work. Hamilton grabbed her by the arms, took her mobile from her, then started pulling at her clothes.

Despite her pleas for him to stop, he told her "I'll decide" and subjected her to the rape ordeal. She was found in a "hysterical" state after the attack.

Police later tracked down Hamilton, who has three previous convictions, including one for possessing a knife. Swabs taken from the crime scene fully matched his DNA profile.

Passing sentence today, judge Lord Tyre told him:

"This is the stuff of the nightmares of many women who, sadly, fear being attacked when they require to walk around towns and cities alone.

"In the case of the victim of this attack, the consequences have been severe. She is now afraid to go out unaccompanied and lives every day with the memory of what you did to her that day."