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Sadeq Nikzad targeted the girl in Falkirk town centre
A man who raped a 15-year-old girl after following her on a street in Stirlingshire has been jailed for nine years.
Sadeq Nikzad, 29, targeted the girl in Falkirk town centre in October 2023.
Nikzad, an asylum seeker from Afghanistan, repeatedly requested her telephone number, uttered sexual remarks then led her into a courtyard where he raped her.
At the High Court in Livingston, Judge Morris told him it was an "extremely serious sexual offence" and said he would be deported after his sentence.
The court heard that Nikzad had entered the UK illegally two years before the attack.
Defence counsel Janice Green told the court there were language difficulties and a "cultural barrier" between Nikzad's home country where child marriage was common.
She said: "I'm not suggesting that means that he reasonably believed (the complainer) was consenting, but that there's a reason why he could have misunderstood."
Harrowing attack
Passing sentence, Judge Morris said: "I appreciate that you don't accept that you've done anything wrong, but the fact remains that you've been convicted of an extremely serious sexual offence against a child."I know your counsel has now explained to you that in those circumstances only a substantial custodial sentence is appropriate."
Police Scotland's Det Insp Forbes Wilson said it was "a particularly harrowing attack carried out during daylight in a busy town centre".
He said: "Nikzad's heinous actions had a profound effect on his young victim and I would like to commend her strength throughout this ordeal."
After his jail term Nikzad will be supervised on license for three years.
A non-harassment order banning Nikzad from contacting or attempting to contact the victim was also granted indefinitely.
