Woman tells court she was raped when she was eight months pregnant

The same woman gave evidence last week against Neil Ireland (39) that she was raped as she lay in bed with her baby girl and the child was also in the bed during this alleged rape.

Ireland (39) of Methil, is on trial at the High Court in Dunfermline accused of sex offences committed in various parts of Fife between 2008 and last year.

The woman claims to have been raped six times by Ireland in Cupar, Methil, Leven and Dysart.

She told the court she has two children to Ireland, each the result of rape and told the court she was eight months pregnant in late December 2015 when she was raped again by Ireland.

She had gone to bed with her daughter and was sleeping when Ireland came into her bed.

“I was lying on my side cuddling into my daughter. He came into the bed and took off my pyjama bottoms. I told him to leave me alone.”

“Did you try to resist him?” asked advocate depute Keith O’Mahony.

She answered that she was heavily pregnant at the time and her son was born the following month.

Later in her evidence, the woman admitted sending threatening text messages to herself, which appeared to be sent by Ireland and reported him to the police.

She said she had heard he had been released from custody and she was “worried and scared about what he would do”.

She added, “I was also taking drink and illegal drugs at that time as I couldn’t cope with it all.”

Another woman later gave evidence about being raped by Ireland as she slept. She said she had gone to bed and Ireland followed her into the bedroom.

She asked him to leave, which he did. However, she was later woken up by him. Her shorts and had been removed, there was “wetness on the inside of my leg” she said and Ireland was getting out of her bed.

“What had happened to you?” asked the advocate depute.

“I was raped,” she answered.

It is alleged that Ireland sexually assaulted five women, including ten offences of rape. The trial before Lord Uist continues.