
Man from Newton Mearns raped woman and fractured her skull
Christopher McDonald repeatedly tormented his victim leaving her traumatised by her ordeal.
The attacks included the 45 year-old raping her and also fracturing her skull when he discovered she was in a new relationship. The woman was known to McDonald.
The crimes mainly occurred in Barrhead, East Renfrewshire.
The first offender had denied the accusations during a trial at the High Court in Glasgow.
But, jurors found him guilty of a total of three charges.
READ MORE: Thug knocked out three of teen's teeth with one punch
He was convicted of engaging in a course of abusive behaviour which included violently having sex with the woman "without her consent" in August 2022 and punching her on the face the same day.
The other charges were two counts of acting in a threatening manner.
Describing the most serious incidents, Judge Douglas Brown today told McDonald: "In the early hours, you awoke her from her sleep and got into bed beside her.
"She got out and tried to get out the room, but you grabbed her.
"You pinned her down on the bed and raped her."
The hearing was told McDonald, of Newton Mearns, also East Renfrewshire, flew into a rage again later that day when he found out the woman was seeing someone else.
READ MORE: Serial sex attacker raped woman he met on Tinder
Judge Brown: "You punched her in the face with such force it caused severe injury in form of fractured skull and facial bones."
He added the victim had been abused in her own home "where she was entitled to feel safe".
The judge told McDonald: "Your behaviour has caused her substantial and enduring psychological harm.
McDonald was put on the sex offenders list and banned from going near the woman - both for an indefinite period.
Gary Allan KC, defending, said the attacker maintained his innocence. A clutch of testimonials from those who knew McDonald had earlier been given to Judge Brown.
The advocate added McDonald's life was also in "tatters" whatever the jail-term would be.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Belfast Telegraph
4 hours ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Martin says defamation reforms will happen ‘quickly'
Mr Adams took the BBC to court over a 2016 episode of its Spotlight programme, and an accompanying online story, which he said defamed him by alleging he sanctioned the killing of former Sinn Fein official Denis Donaldson, in which he denies any involvement. Last month, a jury at the High Court in Dublin found in his favour and awarded him 100,000 euros (£84,000) after determining that was the meaning of words included in the programme and article. The BBC, which was found by the jury not to have acted in good faith nor in a fair and reasonable way, was also ordered to pay the former Sinn Fein leader's legal costs. At the time, the director of BBC Northern Ireland Adam Smyth said there were 'profound' implications from the jury's decision. 'As our legal team made clear, if the BBC's case cannot be won under existing Irish defamation law, it's hard to see how anyone's could – and they warned that today's decision could hinder freedom of expression.' Spotlight reporter Jennifer O'Leary said she had entered the witness box in the trial with 'nothing to hide, only sources to protect and I want to thank them for trusting me'. The broadcaster's legal team was granted a stay in the payment of the full award as it takes time to consider an appeal. Asked if he agreed with the BBC's assessment of the case on Thursday, Taoiseach Micheal Martin said: 'I think the defamation laws need to be changed – we're going to change them.' Mr Martin said the Government would pass the legislation 'as quickly as we can' and paid tribute to Ms O'Leary. 'I think we do need to get it through to create a balanced environment for commentary and for investigative journalism.' He added: 'Jennifer O'Leary is a first-class journalist.' Among the key provisions in the Defamation Bill highlighted by government are the abolition of juries in High Court defamation actions, which is hoped to reduce delays and legal costs; and of protections against strategic lawsuits, also known as SLAPPs actions, viewed as having a chilling effect on public interest journalism and press freedom. The draft laws also include a statutory power for the Circuit Court to issue a 'Norwich Pharmacal' order, allowing a digital services provider to identify an anonymous poster of defamatory statements online. Mr Martin, who took legal action against Google at the High Court for information about who had financed fake ads which claimed he had endorsed specific cryptocurrencies, added: 'We've published heads of the bill, and (Justice Minister Jim) O'Callaghan is going to proceed, we're going to do it in this Government.'


Glasgow Times
5 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Man accused of abusing women in Glasgow and Hamilton
Dominic Humble, 27, faces an indictment listing a total of 14 charges spanning between June 2015 and August 2023. The accusations feature a total of five women. The alleged offences are said to have occurred mainly at addresses in Glasgow's East End and in Hamilton, Lanarkshire. Amongst the charges are that he raped one of the women and separately engaged in conduct which left her fearful of his actions. READ MORE: Celtic settled 85 per cent of claims in sexual abuse lawsuit, court hears The latter includes a claim that he did "pretend" that he had "a terminal medical diagnosis". It is also said he caused the woman to be sanctioned with "anti-social behaviour warnings". Prosecutors also claim he spun a child - known to her - on a roundabout "at speed" causing the youngster to be injured after falling off. It is alleged Humble was jealous and controlling with a second woman amid an accusation that he also choked her. The indictment states he harassed a third on social media and repeatedly demanded money. Humble is further accused of being violent to another woman including claims that he slapped and punched her, forced her to sleep on the floor, hit her with a bottle and other household items. READ MORE: Pensioner admits embezzling £54k over five years from Jewish charity He is said to have sexually assaulted and attempted to rape the final woman. The case called for a short hearing at the High Court in Glasgow today. Tony Lenehan KC, defending, said: "He pleads not guilty to the indictment." Both the defence advocate and prosecutor Shanti Maguire said they were both ready for a trial to be set. Lord Matthews went on to fix a trial and it is scheduled to start in June 2026. The case could last around eight days.


Daily Record
10 hours ago
- Daily Record
Ayr MSP urges open conversations to combat ‘sextortion'
Ayr SNP MSP Siobhian Brown has urged young people to reach out to a trusted adult or report the crime directly to the police. Ayr SNP MSP Siobhian Brown is urging parents, guardians and teachers to talk to young people about sextortion, as cases continue to rise across Scotland. Sextortion is a form of online blackmail where criminals manipulate individuals into sharing explicit images, then they threaten to leak them. It can leave victims feeling isolated, ashamed, and unsure where to turn for help. This comes after Ms Brown met with youngsters in the Northeast, to talk about online safety, in her role as Victims and Community Safety Minister. The visit coincided with Fearless, the youth service of Crimestoppers, introducing a new sextortion education resource designed to equip young people with the knowledge they need to stay safe online. It aims to build on this progress by increasing awareness and encouraging young people to seek help if they feel at risk. This new resource builds on the success of the Scottish Government-funded 'sextortion' campaign, launched last November. The campaign achieved 15 million impressions, making it the most successful Crimestoppers initiative across the UK in 2024. Ms Brown said: "Sextortion can have devastating consequences for young people as we have seen. Many victims feel trapped and afraid to speak out, that's why it's important to build trust and have open and honest conversations. "By ensuring children and teenagers feel safe discussing their online experiences, we can teach them to recognise risks, protect themselves, and seek help if the need it. "The timing of this initiative is crucial. With summer holidays approaching, young people will be spending more time online. This resource, shaped by young people themselves, is designed to help them understand sextortion, recognise warning signs, and know where to turn for support. "It is important young people know they are not alone and help is out there. "The advice remains the same. I would advise young people not to panic, not to comply with demands, and to reach out to a trusted adult or report the crime directly to the police." Parents, caregivers, and teachers can play a vital role by starting conversations early and teaching online safety before children begin using social media. It is also advised to keep discussions ongoing, including regular check-ins about online interactions. It is important to create a judgment-free environment, reassuring young people they won't be blamed for mistakes and to provide clear guidance by educating children on privacy settings, suspicious behaviours, and reporting threats. The campaign was initially launched earlier in the year following the heartbreaking story of Ros and Mark Dowey, whose 16-year-old son Murray tragically took his own life after becoming a victim of sextortion.