Dumfries rapist sent text message apology
A rapist sent a text message to his teenage victim saying he was sorry, a court has been told.
Rohan Costa, 35, of Dumfries, had denied committing the offence at a house in the town in September 2016.
However, he was found guilty of raping the 17-year-old by a jury at the High Court in Edinburgh.
The first offender was placed on the sex offenders register and is due to be sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow next month.
The court heard how, during the attack, Sri-Lankan born Costa had repeatedly requested that his victim have sex with him and struggled with her and put his hand over her mouth.
The teenager said she was crying during the sex ordeal and repeatedly said: "Stop. No. Please stop."
The court heard she had also tried to push him off.
Another man who had been sleeping at the house was wakened by a female voice in distress saying "get off me" and "stop it".
He went into the living room and found the teenager crying and made a 999 call.
Costa later sent the teenager a text in which he said: "I am sorry. I was drunk and I was excited."
In another message he had asked for forgiveness.
The court was told the teenager had further contact with him after the incident and visited him and had sex with him.
Costa continued to protest his innocence of the crime after a judge ordered he be detained ahead of sentencing.
He told Lord Armstrong before he was led from the dock: "Sir, I didn't do this. I didn't do this."