Man who raped doctor in city centre doorway jailed for nine years

A “depraved” man who raped a doctor over the course of 40 minutes in a doorway in a city centre alley has been jailed for nine years.

Mihae-Nicolae Patran, 34, assaulted the then 27-year-old stranger as she took a short cut through Mitchell Street in Glasgow early on the morning of November 26 2023.

After the rape the victim, who did not know Patran, managed to flee naked from the waist down.

Patran was convicted of the rape last month following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow.

He was also found guilty of exposing himself to a woman and performing a sex act upon himself on a train between Perth and Stirling on October 22 2023, and of sexually assaulting a female in a court room that autumn.

Judge N McFadyen said that Patran poses a “real danger to women” when he sentenced him at Glasgow High Court on Monday.

He handed him a 12-year extended sentence comprising nine years behind bars followed by three years of supervision upon release.

Judge McFadyen said of the rape victim: “She took a shortcut through the alleyway where you were intending to bed down in a doorway and she had the misfortune to encounter you there.

“We know from the CCTV and mobile phone which captured a little of what happened and the length of the episode that she was subjected in that doorway to a protracted, demeaning and squalid rape over 40 minutes.”

The judge noted that Patran had been found guilty of three sexual offences involving female strangers over a five-week period in 2023 and said it is hard to imagine what led him to engage in such “depraved and degenerate” conduct.

He added: “You are clearly a dangerous man and, in particular, a real danger to women.”

The judge said it is hoped that Patran, a Romanian, will be deported to his home country.

Patran’s name has been added to the sex offenders register indefinitely.

Donald Findlay KC, representing Patran, said he cannot offer the court any contrition or apology on behalf of his client as the 34-year-old continues to maintain his innocence.

He said: “What Mr Patran’s long-term plans are I do not know. It seems he would prefer to return to his home country at some point in time.”

“There seems to be very little for him in this country apart from loose connections with people along whom he worked in the building trade. As far as I know he has no close family ties in Scotland.”

Faye Cook, Procurator Fiscal for High Court Sexual Offences, said: “Mihai-Nicolae Patran poses a significant danger to women and is a sexual opportunist who offends in high-risk situations.

“The prosecution identified and drew together multiple strands of evidence, including CCTV footage, which supported the harrowing accounts given by all three victims.

“This conviction would not have been possible without these women, and I hope it brings some comfort that Patran has now been held accountable.

“This type of stranger offending, while rare, will not be tolerated and Scotland’s prosecutors will continue to fully support those affected as we seek to secure justice.”

Detective Inspector Danny Clark, of Police Scotland, said: “Patran’s odious actions caused significant harm to his victims and he has now been held to account.

“We hope this outcome brings them some degree of reassurance.

“We remain committed to investigating reports of sexual crimes and ensuring that the natural progression is those responsible face the consequences of their actions.

“We would encourage anyone who is a victim of sexual assault to report it. They will be treated with sensitivity and supported by specially trained officers.”