DUNCAN BURNS FROM DUNDEE SENTENCED FOR RAPE IN STIRLING UNIVERSITY
A man from Dundee, Duncan Burns, aged 24 and residing in Birkhill near Dundee, has been sentenced to five years in prison after being convicted of a serious sexual assault.Burns, who held a notable position as an accommodation liaison officer at Stirling University, was found guilty of raping a female student during a trial held at the High Court in Livingston last month.
Following the conviction, Burns appeared once again before the court for sentencing on Tuesday.
The presiding judge, Lord Mulholland, handed down a five-year prison term and ordered Burns to be placed on the sex offenders register.
In his remarks, Lord Mulholland emphasized the gravity of the crime, stating, “Despite making it plain that she did not want to have sexual intercourse with you, you ignored her wishes and used force to have sexual intercourse with her.
That amounts to the crime of rape in Scotland.
This court takes a very serious view of such criminal conduct.” The court proceedings revealed disturbing details about the incident.
The victim, a student at Stirling University, returned to her flat after the assault and, in her distress, looked up the definition of rape online.
She provided evidence from behind a screen, describing how Burns used his physical strength to force her into sexual acts against her will.
She recounted, “I always perceived rape to be more like with a stranger or with violence.
I knew I’d said no and he knew I was saying no.” During the trial, it was also disclosed that Burns had shown inappropriate behavior prior to the assault.
The victim testified that she initially liked Burns and had even gone back to his room on occasion.
However, Burns repeatedly pressured her into having sex, despite her constant refusals.
The court heard that in March of the previous year, Burns, who resides on Rosemount Road in Birkhill, kissed his victim on the breast before raping her in one of the university’s halls of residence.
These proceedings highlight the serious nature of the crime and the court’s firm stance on sexual assault, especially involving individuals in positions of trust and authority within academic institutions.
