A 34-year-old man has been handed a significant prison sentence for a series of depraved sexual attacks, including a protracted rape in a Glasgow alleyway that lasted for forty minutes.
A Protracted and Demeaning Assault
Mihae-Nicolae Patran attacked a woman he did not know in the early hours of November 26, 2023. The victim had taken a shortcut through an alley where Patran was intending to bed down in a doorway. The court heard that she was subjected to a horrific ordeal described by the judge as 'protracted, demeaning and squalid'.
CCTV and mobile phone evidence captured part of the incident, confirming the 40-minute duration of the attack. Following the assault, the victim managed to flee the scene naked from the waist down.
A Pattern of Predatory Behaviour
Patran's conviction at the High Court in Glasgow last month was not for a single isolated incident. He was also found guilty of two other sexual offences committed against female strangers over a five-week period in the autumn of 2023.
This included exposing himself and performing a sex act on a train between Perth and Stirling on October 22, 2023. He was also convicted of sexually assaulting a woman in a courtroom.
Sentencing and Deportation
When sentencing Patran, Judge N McFadyen stated that the offender poses a 'real danger to women'. The judge handed down a 12-year extended sentence, comprising nine years in prison followed by three years of supervision upon release.
Judge McFadyen expressed hope that Patran, who is from Romania, would be deported to his home country. Representing Patran, Donald Findlay KC said his client maintains his innocence and cannot offer any contrition.
Faye Cook, Procurator Fiscal for High Court Sexual Offences, described Patran as a 'sexual opportunist who offends in high-risk situations'. She praised the courage of the victims, without whom the conviction would not have been possible.
Detective Inspector Danny Clark of Police Scotland encouraged anyone who is a victim of sexual assault to report it, assuring them they will be treated with sensitivity. Patran's name has been added to the sex offenders register indefinitely.
