Builder who raped woman in her Berwickshire home jailed
- Published
Tomasz Jasinski was jailed at the High Court in Edinburgh
A builder who raped a woman in her own home while her young son was in the house has been jailed.
Tomasz Jasinski, 33, sexually assaulted the victim at her home near a Berwickshire village in June 2021, despite her repeated attempts to contact emergency services.
He had been working in the Scottish Borders at the time.
Polish national Jasinski was jailed for four-and-a-half years at the High Court in Edinburgh.
He admitted carrying out the attack.
Jasinski had been staying at a bed and breakfast with fellow countrymen who were working on a building site.
On the day of the rape he had been drinking vodka before going into the woman's home.
She was in bed when Jasinski began the attack. with her young son also in the house.
Advocate depute Ali Murray previously told the court the woman was "shocked and petrified" and was afraid of what he would do and pretended to be asleep.
The court heard she tried to move away from her attacker and told him "no" but had been unable to stop him.
No explanation
After he left, the woman went to neighbours who found her "extremely upset" and the police were contacted.
Jasinski was detained at the bed and breakfast and said: "I had sex but it wasn't rape. I have nothing to hide."
Defence solicitor advocate Jennifer Cameron told the court that alcohol was clearly a factor in the first offender's conduct, but was not an excuse for his actions.
She said: "He is assessed generally as being at a low risk of reoffending. He has been in full-time employment since leaving school."
Judge Lady Haldane told Jasinski: "You have pled guilty to the rape of a woman in her own home.
"You sexually assaulted her before raping her, all in the presence of her son.
"Whilst it is to your credit that you have accepted responsibility for this offence and that you have shown remorse you have not been able to offer any explanation for why you did such a thing at all."
Lady Haldane said she would have jailed him for five years if he was convicted after a trial, but would reduce the sentence following his guilty plea which had spared the victim having to testify.
Jasinski was told that he would be placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely.
- Published7 March 2023
