Man found guilty of Lerwick rape at High Court

Edinburgh High Court (Scottish Courts and Tribunals).

A 32-year-old man wept after being found guilty of raping one woman and molesting another at Edinburgh High Court.

Jack Johnson had denied carrying out sexual assaults on two victims, both at addresses in Lerwick, in 2017 and 2021.

But he was found guilty of raping one woman and sexually assaulting another, and was remanded in custody.

The court heard Johnson raped the woman after she had been drinking and taken drugs, and had been incapable of consenting.

She told the court she had smoked cannabis and taken cocaine, as well as consuming alcohol, and had been unstable on her feet.

When she felt like she could not move, Johnson began molesting her.

Advocate depute Derick Nelson told jurors: “Her head was slumped forwards and her eyes were closed and that would have been obvious to him.”

The woman sent messages to Johnson afterwards telling him he had raped her, and then called a friend and told her about what had happened.

Johnson was also convicted of sexually assaulting another woman in 2017 after pinning her down.

He was acquitted of two further rape charges after the jury returned majority not proven verdicts on them.

Johnson, formerly of Cramlington, Northumberland, was on bail during his trial.

But following the verdicts trial judge Lord Lake told him: “In view of the seriousness of the crimes of which you have been convicted I consider it is only appropriate you be remanded in custody.”

The judge called for the preparation of a background report on Johnson ahead of sentencing him at the High Court in Livingston on 6th November.

Johnson was placed on the sex offenders’ register.