Man guilty of Greyfriars graveyard rape

A man who raped a woman in Greyfrairs kirkyard in Edinburgh seven-and-a-half years ago has been found guilty.

Cy Sullivan, 26, who left his victim naked from the waist down was caught after his DNA was taken in October 2015 when he assaulted a bouncer.

At the High Court in Glasgow Sullivan, from Shetland, denied rape and claimed he had consensual sex with the woman.

The jury convicted Sullivan of raping the woman on 27 November 2009 when she was drunk and not able to give consent.

The 42-year-old victim said: "What has happened to me is a living nightmare."

In evidence, she described how she travelled from her home in the Highlands to attend a conference in Edinburgh and decided to visit the grave of Greyfrairs Bobby.

DNA sample

The woman said she had at least eight glasses of wine and a police officer who saw her hours later at 05:00 described her as 'intoxicated.

The court heard the woman was spotted by two police officers. She was standing at railings inside the graveyard and appeared under the influence of alcohol.

She was taken to Gayfield police station and then examined by doctors and a DNA sample was taken.

The victim was asked by prosecutor Ian Wallace: "Do you remember leaving Greyfriars pub," she said: "No. I remember coming round in the graveyard and there was a police lady.

"I was frozen and I was disorientated. I tried for some time to find my way out. It was like something happened and I had just come round.

"It was awful. I just felt awful, embarrassed. I had no clothing on my bottom half."

The woman told the jurors she had no memory of what happened after she left the pub until the police found her.

She was asked if she had any recollection of anyone having sex with her and replied: "No."

Mr Wallace then said: "Did you want to have sex with anyone that night," and the victim said: "Definitely not."

The court heard at the time there was no match to the DNA found on her body, but in October 2015 there was a 'hit" on the database after Sullivan was arrested and charged with assault and his DNA was taken.

Sullivan told the court he had bought the woman a drink and then had sex with her. He claimed that she appeared fine to him and not drunk.

He appeared in court with crutches and a wheelchair and told the jury he had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis two weeks ago.

His defence counsel David Nicolson said: "Just after Christmas he had trouble with his right eye and with his balance.

"On 12 May a diagnosis was made. He was diagnosed as having multiple sclerosis."

Judge Rita Rae remanded Sullivan in custody and placed him on the sex offenders' register.

Lady Rae deferred sentence until next month for background reports.