Mihae-Nicolae Patran

A depraved Romanian man, Mihae-Nicolae Patran, has been sentenced to nine years in prison for a series of shocking sexual offences committed against female strangers in Scotland in 2023. The most serious incident involved the rape of a 27-year-old doctor in a city centre doorway in Glasgow, which lasted for a protracted 40 minutes. Patran, aged 34, was convicted following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow and was described by the judge as a real danger to women.

The primary assault occurred early on the morning of 26 November 2023, when the victim, a doctor, took a shortcut through Mitchell Street alleyway in Glasgow's city centre. Unbeknownst to her, Patran was intending to bed down in a doorway there. CCTV footage and mobile phone recordings captured elements of the harrowing attack, which the judge characterised as a 'protracted, demeaning and squalid rape'. After the assault, the victim managed to flee the scene naked from the waist down. Patran was found guilty of this rape last month at the High Court.

In addition to the rape, Patran was convicted of two other sexual offences spanning a five-week period in 2023. On 22 October 2023, he exposed himself to a woman and performed a sex act upon himself on a train travelling between Perth and Stirling. That same autumn, he sexually assaulted a female in a courtroom. These acts demonstrated a pattern of depraved and degenerate conduct targeting unsuspecting women in public settings, as noted by Judge N McFadyen during sentencing at Glasgow High Court on Monday.

Judge McFadyen imposed a 12-year extended sentence, comprising nine years of custody followed by three years of supervision upon release. He stated: 'You are clearly a dangerous man and, in particular, a real danger to women.' Patran's name has been added to the sex offenders register indefinitely, and it is hoped he will be deported to Romania after serving his sentence. Representing Patran, Donald Findlay KC remarked that his client maintains his innocence and expressed no contrition, adding that Patran has loose connections in Scotland through building trade work but no close family ties.

Faye Cook, Procurator Fiscal for High Court Sexual Offences, commended the prosecution's use of multiple strands of evidence, including CCTV, to support the victims' accounts. She said: 'Mihai-Nicolae Patran poses a significant danger to women and is a sexual opportunist who offends in high-risk situations. This conviction would not have been possible without these women, and I hope it brings some comfort that Patran has now been held accountable.' The case, reported by the PA News Agency, underscores Scotland's commitment to prosecuting stranger sexual offences, no matter how rare.