Would-be rapist snared by police near burger bar

A SEX attacker who molested a teenage dog walker was caught in a nearby fast food restaurant 48 hours later after being spotted by another young girl he had targeted.

TRAIL: The restaurant where Mathers was spotted

Kevin Mathers drunkenly approached a string of women near Ferry Road in the hours before he attempted to rape a 16-year-old and threatened to slit her throat.

As detectives continued the hunt for the 23-year-old, another teenager whom Mathers had approached saw him waiting for food at the McDonald's in Telford Road, just a few hundred metres from the scene of the attack.

Mathers fled the restaurant, but the teenager alerted police and officers caught him a short distance away.

Today, police branded serial offender Mathers "very dangerous" and said they were "glad to have taken him off the streets".

At the High Court in Edinburgh yesterday, unemployed Mathers, of Ferry Road Drive, admitted assaulting and attempting to rape his victim on June 30 at a footpath leading to Telford Path.

He seized her by the throat and body, threatened her with violence, forced her to perform a sex act, kissed and bit her, and dragged her from the path into undergrowth before pushing her to the ground and removing her clothes.

Detective Inspector Grant Dougall, who led the investigation, said after the guilty plea: "Our thanks must go to the tremendous response from members of the public. That gave us a real thrust to our inquiry and some great evidence.

"From the dozens of witnesses who came forward, we were able to identify a number of incidents from earlier that night which helped identify our suspect. The man we believed had been involved in the attack had approached a succession of women and exhibited concerning behaviour.

"We were then able to secure CCTV footage which showed our suspect so we had a picture of him. Then, two days after the attack, one of the witnesses who had come forward to describe the suspect to us saw him in the McDonald's and officers detained him nearby."

The court heard yesterday that Mathers had an extensive criminal record including dishonesty, disorder, assault, property damage and offences of a racial nature.

Det Insp Dougall added: "When Mathers was interviewed, his answer to everything was a flat denial even though we had a long list of witnesses ready to give evidence against him.

"He's a very dangerous individual and we're glad to have taken him off the streets following an attack on a young girl who has been left deeply traumatised."

The court heard that the victim was exercising the family pet when Mathers approached and said "Hiya, darling" before appearing to walk past her, but she suddenly became aware that he had turned round and begun to follow her.

Mathers asked his victim during the assault: "How many times do you want me to rape you?" and also told her: "You're coming home with me tonight."

The teenager repeatedly begged Mathers to stop as he molested her and tried to rape her.

The girl managed to fight Mathers off after a couple walking past interrupted the assault.

Advocate depute Ashley Edwards told the court that the victim had to be given medication to help her sleep after the attack.

"She can no longer sleep without the light on in her room. On the few occasions she has gone out in the evening with friends she has felt very afraid," she added.

Lord Pentland deferred sentence on Mathers and called for a risk assessment report on him.

The judge said it was "an appalling and degrading attack".

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