A sex offender who admitted filming the sexual assault of a woman while she was sleeping is appealing the 23-month jail sentence.
Gender-neutral Laura Miller, 29, was convicted at Inverness Sheriff Court in January, after pleading guilty to the serious offence, which happened at a property on the Isle of Skye in 2017.
Now, lawyers acting on Miller’s behalf will go before the High Court of Judiciary today and attempt to lessen their client’s punishment.
The court heard Miller assaulted a woman on several occasions when she was incapable of giving or withholding consent.
Guilty plea ‘at the last minute’
Miller recorded a video of their victim while the woman was sleeping during one incident captured on camera.
It showed Miller removing their victim’s clothing and exposing her private parts and touching her breasts.
Miller – formerly of Brediland, Paisley and now a prisoner – was also heard to make an offensive sexual remark about the woman.
Earlier this year, they entered a guilty plea “at the last minute” according to Sheriff Margaret Neilson, who has since retired.
During sentencing, she also said that Miller’s criminal history was “a matter of grave concern”.
It emerged during the court case that the accused had two previous convictions resulting in imprisonment.
Speaking at the sentencing, defence solicitor advocate Mike Chapman said: “This is clearly an unsavoury offence.
“However, it was an offence that was committed five years ago when the panel was a relatively young person.”
On the sex offenders’ register
He told the court that his client was in a “somewhat settled” relationship with a supportive partner and asked the sheriff to consider a non-custodial disposal.
But instead Sheriff Neilson sentenced Miller to 23 months in jail, after which they will be required to remain on the sex offenders’ register for a period of 10 years.
