A former John Lewis worker has been found guilty of rape following a four-day trial.
Kenneth Laird, 45, was convicted by a jury at the High Court in Aberdeen of the rape and sexual assault of a woman following a night out in the Granite City two years ago.
The jury found him guilty by majority after considering their verdict for around three hours.
Laird, a former stock controller at John Lewis, carried out the attack at a flat in Aberdeen city centre on the night of October 26 2019.
The charge against Laird stated that while the woman was intoxicated, asleep and unable to give consent he climbed into her bed and removed her clothing before raping her.
Advocate John McElroy told the court that Laird was employed by John Lewis in Aberdeen at the time of the offence.
Judge placed rapist on sex offenders register
Laird, who has no previous convictions, was taken into custody by police on October 27 2019 and appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court the following day.
Laird’s defence counsel was led by criminal lawyer Lorenzo Alonzi and Aberdeen solicitor Ian Woodward-Nutt.
Temporary Judge Olga Pasportnikov placed Laird on the sex offenders’ register and remanded him in custody.
She deferred sentence on Laird, of River Don Crescent, Aberdeen, until next month.
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