Serial abuser jailed for sexually assaulting woman in hospital

A serial criminal who sexually assaulted a woman while she was in hospital has been jailed for 10 years.

A court heard Matthew Edgerton repeatedly abused the woman physically and sexually for more than two years.

A judge described the circumstances of the attack in Dundee's Ninewells Hospital as "revolting to any person with any sense of empathy or decency".

The 33-year-old was sentenced at the High Court in Livingston after being found guilty of abusive behaviour towards the woman and two counts of rape.

He was also found guilty of sexual assault by penetration and causing a person to be present while engaging in sexual activity.

The offences were committed between 2021 and 2023 at various addresses in Tayside.

Edgerton will be supervised for three years following his release from prison, and will remain on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

He will also be subject to a non-harassment order banning him from contacting his victim for an indefinite period.

Judge Lady Ross told Edgerton that his victim should have been safe in his company and deserved respect.

The judge said: "She wasn't safe with you, and you did not respect her."

Lady Ross said Edgerton had subjected the woman to violent and degrading physical abuse and threatened and scared her.

The judge added: "It's clear that you have a poor understanding of the concept of consent in sexual relationships, and there seems to be no real respect for women."

A trial was told previously that Edgerton controlled the woman's social life and monitored her mobile phone.

He spat on her face and body, strangled her by compressing her neck and struck her head off a wall, a kitchen worktop and a cupboard door to her injury.

Defence counsel Jim Stephenson said Edgerton, who has a lengthy criminal record for serious offences committed in England and Scotland, appreciated the seriousness of the charges.

He said: "He obviously had difficulties as a result of his upbringing and there was concern about his alcohol and drugs use."