Man who sexually assaulted Glasgow churchgoer jailed

A repeat sex offender who attacked a woman as she walked home from church in Glasgow has been jailed for four years.

Darren Stirling, 23, admitted sexually assaulting the 41-year-old mother-of-two at King George V Park, Boydstone Road, on 17 November last year.

The High Court in Glasgow heard he was put on probation for three years after committing a similar offence in 2007.

Stirling was also ordered to be monitored in the community for a further two years after his release.

The court heard how the attack took place at about 21:00 as the woman walked home from church.

Stirling initially walked past his victim and then stared at her before walking on.

You hold negative, distorted attitudes towards women”

When she got to King George V Park, he was waiting for her and tried to engage her in conversation.

Stirling asked her if she was married and she said she was. He told her she was beautiful and then asked if he could kiss her.

When she said no he grabbed the woman, who fell to the ground during the struggle.

During the attack she screamed and tried to bite and hit Stirling as hard as she could, before managing to run off and raise the alarm.

Jailing Stirling, judge Lord Woolman told him: "You hold negative, distorted attitudes towards women.

"You carried out a very serious assault. You attacked a female stranger who was walking to get a bus after leaving church."

Lord Woolman said that Stirling's victim, who managed to fight him off, was "brave and determined".