Rapist who sexually assaulted woman while she was miscarrying jailed

A rapist who sexually assaulted a woman while she was miscarrying has been jailed.

Richard Stewart, formerly of Dumfries, admitted seven charges of rape, one of sexual assault and a further offence of abusive behaviour.

The offences occurred in Dumfries, Annan and Lochmaben; Stewart has previous convictions for sexual offences.

The first rape victim met Stewart, 29, when she was a teenager. He later carried out an attempted penetrative assault on the woman while she was in the process of miscarrying and Stewart was aware of the blood loss she was suffering.

The second woman suffered an ordeal of rape and violence from Stewart. She was repeatedly punched by him and on one occasion attended hospital with concussion and received painkillers.

On another occasion he threatened that he was going to kill her and twice put his hands around her neck and compressed it, leaving her with restricted breathing.

Stewart was detained by police last year after they received a 999 call from a man who reported an assault on one of the victims.

Lord Boyd imposed a lifelong restriction order at The High Court in Edinburgh. This means any decision on whether to allow Stewart out of jail would be made by the parole authorities. Stewart must serve a 40-month prison term before seeking release.

He has been placed on the sex offenders' register indefinitely.