Attempted rape on Australian holidaymaker between Kinlochewe and Torridon by man who took her to Culloden
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A 50-year-old man admitted attempting to rape a holidaymaker after befriending her and taking her to Culloden Battlefield.
The High Court in Glasgow heard that Bruce Reid, of Seatown, Cullen, Morayshire, admitted attempting to rape the 25-year-old woman at between Kinlochewe and Torridon, near to Liathach, on August 8 last year.
The court heard his victim was backpacking around Europe and was waiting for a bus to Craig Dunain when Reid stopped his grey Audi and offered to take her to the standing stones there and then onto Culloden.
She then agreed to go camping with him and they pitched a tent.
She called her boyfriend in Australia at around 11.20pm and later, when Reid tried to cuddle her, the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told him: “No cuddles. It's inappropriate mate, get off me.”
Prosecutor Lindsey Dalziel said: “The accused became more persistent and she had to physically push him away.
“He grabbed her and she continued to struggle and told him to stop. At this point she feared for her life and reached towards her multi-tool and tried to stab Mr Reid to get him off her.
“He bit one of her arms and called her 'a wee bitch.'”
The court heard that the woman managed to grab her boots, hoodie and phone and ran from the tent to the nearby road.
She called her boyfriend again and asked him to get an emergency number for police in Scotland.
He told her it was 999 and she dialled them, staying on the phone to the emergency operator and hiding in a bush for an hour until officers arrived.
The court heard that when she was located by police she was extremely distressed and broke down in tears.
She had blood stains on the front of her jumper and on both hands and had injuries to her hands consistent with her trying to fight off Reid.
Reid had injuries to his left arm, forearm and hand.
The woman, who has since returned to Australia, says she feels disassociated from her life, has struggled with work and is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Judge Lady Stacey remanded Reid and deferred sentence on him until next month.
Defence solicitor advocate Shahid Latif will give his plea in mitigation then.
