An intruder carried out a terrifying sex attack on a young woman in her own home before her screams alerted neighbours to her plight.
Wayne Stewart put his victim in a headlock and dragged her into a bedroom at her flat in Inverness and put a hand over her nose and mouth and pinched her nose, restricting her breathing.
During a struggle with the 21-year-old woman he grabbed her mobile phone from her hand and threw it, before pulling up her skirt.
Unemployed Stewart, 42, was convicted on Friday at the High Court in Edinburgh of sexually assaulting the victim with intent to rape her.
He attacked the terrified young woman after entering her home uninvited on March 13 last year.
Stewart also robbed the woman
The benefit claimant was also found guilty of robbing the woman of her handbag, bank cards and contents at her flat.
Stewart, currently a prisoner in Inverness, had denied assaulting the woman with intent to rape her.
Following the verdicts, the trial judge Lord Harrower told Stewart that he had been convicted of a serious charge of sexual assault.
During a 999 call to police the woman said: “He was trying rape me – to take advantage of me”.
Sex attacker followed victim home
The woman had gone to a Tesco store for pasta and washing detergent but said the intruder had followed her as she returned home and forced entry into her home.
She said: “As I was walking he started following me.” She added that he pushed her and tried to close the door of her flat.
“He tried to take my skirt up and tried to take advantage of me,” she told the call operator.
She said she struggled with her attacker, who was wearing a hoodie, but he was “way too strong” and added that she was lucky that neighbours had heard her.
Sex offenders register
After police arrived she was taken to be examined by a doctor and the injuries she had suffered were photographed.
Advocate depute Stewart Ronnie told Lord Harrower that a victim impact statement had been prepared by the woman for the court.
The judge called for a background report to be prepared on Stewart, who has never previously served a prison term, ahead of sentencing next month.
Stewart was remanded in custody and placed on the sex offenders’ register.