Rapist who 'waterboarded' woman during vicious attack jailed

A rapist who "waterboarded" a woman during a vicious attack has been jailed for 16 years.

Michael Christie, 52, denied any wrongdoing but was convicted of a campaign of physical and sexual abuse spanning a number of years. A court heard how he would rape a woman while she was asleep and then continue as she woke up.

During one sex attack, Christie pounced on the woman in a bathroom and held a towel over her face and poured water over it. Giving evidence, the victim described how she "couldn't breathe" and felt as if she was choking.

She told jurors the towel was wet and stinking of bleach, but Christie "said nothing" as he went on to rape her. Christie also tried to rape the woman after entering her home uninvited.

His physical assaults included throwing a glass ashtray at her and kicking her on the back, causing her to plummet down the stairs. Judge Tony Kelly said Christie's sustained course of violent and gruesome assaults "must have caused significant harm".

He added: "It was constant. It was awful and must have been horrific to endure." Christie additionally preyed on a young girl.

His abuse included locking her in a room, striking her buttocks so hard she could not sit down, and making her squat in pain for up to 30 minutes at a time - causing her to shake and fidget. Read more from Sky News:Neo-Nazi extremists guilty of planning terror attacks on mosqueDrug dealer jailed for fatal cannabis lab explosion Police Scotland said Christie's offending occurred across the west coast of the country.

He was found guilty of multiple charges - including rape, assault, and threatening and abusive behaviour - at the High Court in Glasgow last month. Christie returned to the dock on Monday, where he received the 16-year jail term.

He was additionally placed on the sex offenders' register indefinitely and banned from contacting his victims. Detective Chief Inspector Jennifer McCulloch said: "We acknowledge the sentencing of Christie, who will now face the consequences of his actions.

"This was a harrowing case for the victims involved and I want to thank them as well as my team for their exceptional work on this case.".