Bathgate mum raped by man met on dating site

The pair had been for a night out in Bathgate, West Lothian, and Sean Melville, 36, drank a lot of vodka and lager.

Advocate depute Susanne Tanner, prosecuting, said back at the mum-of-two’s home they had a row because she didn’t make him anything to eat.

“He was drunk and began to talk about buying her flowers and spending money on her,” Ms Tanner continued.

Melville also quizzed the 37-year-old woman about men she had been talking to in the pub, and began to insult her.

He asked her if she loved him then attacked her, pushing her down on a couch.

The woman told him to sleep in the spare room and went to bed, but he followed her upstairs a few minutes later and demanded sex.

Ms Tanner described how Melville forced himself on the woman. He kept stopping to ask if she was afraid, then continued to have sex with her.

He also committed other sex acts over about three and a half hours.

Afterwards Melville told the woman he was unwell and claimed his drinks had been spiked. He said he did not believe what he had done and needed to see a doctor.

Ms Tanner said the woman later heard from a friend that Melville had taken an overdose and thought that if it proved fatal she would not have to report that she had been raped.

However, a week later, she discovered that Melville was again using the dating website and she went to police.

“She did not want anyone else to undergo a similar ordeal,” said Ms Tanner.

At the High Court in Edinburgh, Melville, of Dunfermline, Fife, admitted raping the woman in her Bathgate home last October 15.

He also admitted a course of conduct causing fear and alarm by phoning her from prison after his arrest, accusing her of telling lies.

Defence QC Ian Duguid said Melville was an emotionally vulnerable man who was also jealous.

“He had taken an excessive amount of alcohol which really lies behind his conduct on that day, for which he now tenders his apologies and remorse.”

Judge Lady Stacey called for background reports and remanded Melville in custody pending sentence next month.