Court / Sandwick man jailed for eight years after being found guilty of rape
A LOCAL man who subjected two women to rape ordeals was jailed for eight years at the High Court in Edinburgh this morning (Tuesday) as he continued to claim his innocence.
Mark Dunnet, 36, assaulted victims during a catalogue of abuse that spanned seven years in his native Shetland.
Dunnet, formerly of Sandwick, had denied a series of charges at an earlier trial but was found guilty of committing seven offences, including rape, sexual assault and stalking.
Judge Lord Weir said: “A significant sentence of imprisonment is the necessary consequence of that verdict.”
Dunnet’s offending began in January 2012 and continued until December 2019 and took place at different addresses across Shetland.
The court had heard how Dunnet had raped one of his victims on one occasion when he restrained and straddled her during the sex attack.
He also assaulted and raped a second woman when she was asleep and drifting in and out of sleep and incapable of giving or withholding consent.
Defence solicitor advocate Iain Paterson told the court: “He [Dunnet] maintains his innocence in relation to the offences.”
The advocate said a number of references for Dunnet, who has no prior criminal record, were before the court and added: “It is clear from these references there will be ongoing support for him when he returns to the community.”
Dunnet was told that he will be placed on the sex offenders’ register for an indefinite period following his sentencing.
His jail sentence was backdated to 28 September this year when he was remanded in custody following the end of his trial at the High Court in Aberdeen.
Copy by Dave Finlay of Edinburgh Courts Press Services
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