An oil boss is facing a “significant custodial sentence” after being found guilty of sexually assaulting and attempting to rape a woman in Aberdeen.
Andrew Murray had been on trial at the High Court in the city accused of attacking the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, while she slept.
The 51-year-old denied the charges.
The incident took place following an after-party at Murray’s second home at Union Grove in December 2018, after he had earlier attended an event at Pittodrie Stadium.
After three days of evidence, the jury took just over an hour to find him guilty by majority.
He was also convicted of attempting to pervert the course of justice by trying to destroy evidence to avoid getting caught.
During the trial the court heard how Murray, who was a director with an oil firm at the time, removed bedding from the flat and changed his clothes before leaving in the early hours of the morning to drive to his home in Buckie where he showered.
Sentence was deferred on Murray, of Linn Avenue, Buckie, for reports.
But Judge Graham Buchanan warned him a lengthy prison term was “inevitable” and remanded him in custody until the sentencing in April.
He said: “You have been convicted of serious charges, and the imposition, in due course, of a significant custodial sentence is inevitable.
“I can’t pass sentence on you today because I require to obtain background reports since you have never previously served a custodial sentence.
“I do not consider it appropriate to continue your bail, so bail will be revoked and you will now be remanded in custody until the sentencing hearing.”
The judge also told Murray he would be placed on the sex offenders register.
On the first day of the trial, Murray’s victim described waking up to find him sexually assaulting her before he went on to try to rape her.
The distraught woman managed to make her way out of the flat and to the street outside while on the phone to the Scottish Ambulance Service, where two passers-by stopped to help.
On the second day of the trial, the court heard evidence from Murray’s wife, who met with him later on the same day as the offence.
During her evidence, she said she had not noticed anything unusual about the accused, and that when she asked him about the night he said he “enjoyed it”.
A police witness also told how officers had discovered a white pillowcase in the communal stairwell leading up to Murray’s flat, as well as a second pillowcase and a grey duvet cover outside in the communal back garden.
Murray also took to the witness stand himself and claimed he was the one woken up by the woman climbing into bed and groping him, before they had consensual sexual contact.
He claimed he then told the woman it had been a “mistake” at which point she threatened to make up a rape allegation before leaving.
Murray said he then changed the bed and left with the used bedding as he did not want his wife to see it.