Rapist jailed for sex attacks at women’s homes

A SEX attacker who pounced on women at their homes has been jailed for nine years.

Mariuz Cieslar was jailed at the High Court in Glasgow. Picture: John Devlin

A judge branded Mariuz Cieslar a “violent and nocturnal predator” who targeted his victims late at night in their homes in Livingston, West Lothian.

The 26 year-old attacked on one woman as she stood having a cigarette in her back garden.

The second was left petrified after wakening to find Cieslar sitting in her bed beside her.

Police discovered during a high-profile probe that the culprit had worn distinctive Adidas Adipure trainers after footprints were left the scene.

Cieslar was then linked to a pair bought at a shop near where he lived.

He returned to the High Court in Glasgow after he pled guilty to assaulting each woman with intent to rape.

It emerged Cieslar told social workers compiling a pre-sentencing report that he was apparently working on behalf of a crime mob at the time.

Lord Turnbull told Cieslar: “The full horror of your conduct becomes even clearer in that each victim was specifically selected by you in advance and that you prowled around at night, keeping them under observation before deciding upon the right point to put your evil plan into action.”

The judge went on: “If the account (given to social workers) is true, it means that you were willing to use rape as a weapon to advance the interests of a foreign criminal gang. Involved in the illegal trafficking of drugs.”

He added the local community in Livingston must have lived in fear of “an unknown, violent, nocturnal sexual predator”.

Lord Turnbull said a “severe sentence” had to be passed to “mark society’s utter abhorrence” of what happened.

Cieslar – who showed no emotion as he was lead to the cells – will also be supervised for a further three years on his release.

The first woman was attacked on April 8 last year as she had a cigarette outside her house having earlier returned from work.

She suddenly became aware of Cieslar crouched near her as she stood in her back garden.

The cleaner then grabbed the stunned woman and overpowered her.

Prosecutor Rosemary Guinnane told how Cieslar was “rough and physical” with the 21 year-old.

She was able to scream loudly which appeared to panic Cieslar and he fled by climbing over a high fence into woods.

The woman – who was described as “trembling and shaking” at that time – told family what had happened before police were called.

But, Cieslar remained at large and he was then able to attack a second woman on May 7.

The victim had fallen asleep on her bed – but woke up to find Cieslar next to her.

He had managed to sneak in through a window the 27 year-old had kept ajar to let air in.

The court heard how he restrained the woman leaving her unable to move.

The victim’s frightening ordeal ended when Cieslar suddenly got up and climbed out the window he had entered through.

The woman was so upset she could not remember the number to call police and instead got in touch with a friend for help.

Detectives soon linked the attacks after DNA found at the second incident matched the first.

Police also discovered the same footprint had been left at each scene. This was found to have come from the culprit wearing an Adidas Adipure style trainer.

Checks revealed this type of trainer was sold in two outlets in Scotland – including one in Livingston where Cieslar also lived.

Police got a breakthrough when a purchase using a card in the name of Cieslar’s partner was traced.

Officers were then waiting for him as he returned to the UK from a family holiday to Greece in August this year.

It emerged he had already been quizzed just weeks earlier in connection with a domestic assault – and given a DNA sample.

Police searched his home and found the Adidas trainers. The DNA sample was also fast-tracked for analysis and this matched that taken from the attacks.

The court heard how the two women are still traumatised after what happened.

The attack is said to have had a “huge impact” on the first victim, while the second has moved house and often finds herself crying now for no reason.

Lord Turnbull also paid tribute to the “dedicated and professional efforts” of the police in catching Cieslar.