Worker in care home rape ordeal

The court heard the victim has been unable to return to work

A teenager subjected a worker in a care home to a knifepoint rape ordeal during which she feared she would be killed, the High Court in Edinburgh has heard.

Steven Malcolm's victim persuaded him to release the home's elderly residents before he committed the rape in July.

Malcolm, from Camelon in Stirlingshire, admitted abducting the 50-year-old at knifepoint at the Falkirk care home, raping her and repeatedly biting her.

The 19-year-old, who was on bail at the time, will be sentenced after reports.

Advocate depute Neil Beardmore said of the woman: "She is clearly a remarkable lady of extraordinary strength and resilience.

"Notwithstanding she was subjected to a savage and depraved attack by the accused, I am told she is coping remarkably well with what has happened to her."

He said the victim and her 42-year-old colleague, who was on duty with her, had been unable to return to work after the assault.

The victim has been receiving counselling.

She pleaded with the accused to allow the two residents out of the flat and he did so Neil Beardmore Advocate depute

Mr Beardmore said of the victim's workmate: "She felt extremely guilty about what had happened to her friend and has been severely traumatised, particularly when she was outside the house and able to hear what was happening to her friend inside."

Shortly before the attack Malcolm was seen in Falkirk town centre and eyewitnesses thought he was drunk.

His victim and her colleague were working at premises operated by Forth Valley NHS Trust which housed patients with learning difficulties.

Both women were in a kitchen when they heard noises.

Mr Beardmore said Malcolm jumped out of a cupboard and refused to leave.

Malcolm held a knife against his victim and began walking her downstairs to a lower level in the home.

He told the other woman to stay where he could see her. She remained at the top of the stairs and phoned the police.

Life imprisonment

He forced the victim into a lower flat and locked the door behind them.

Mr Beardmore said: "She pleaded with the accused to allow the two residents out of the flat and he did so."

The woman was then subjected to a sexual assault at knifepoint.

Mr Beardmore said Malcolm had been seen by a psychiatrist but was found not to be suffering from a mental disorder.

Judge Lord Menzies told him that he regarded the circumstances of the offence as so serious that he would have considered sentencing him to life imprisonment under the old system.

He said he would now seek a risk assessment report before sentencing.

Malcolm was placed on the sex offenders register.