A suicidal school pupil brought their rapist to justice after confiding in a teacher about their five-year long abuse ordeal, a court heard.
Shaun Nolan, 54, was detained by police after teaching staff became aware of how he subjected his victim to repeated sexual assaults.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard on Tuesday how Nolan began abusing the complainer in the case at a location in the city in August 2015 when they were aged just 10.
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Nolan, of Corstorphine Road, Edinburgh, raped the teenager and continued to sexually assault them until November 2020.
The court heard that the complainer then approached teachers and spoke about what had happened to them.
Prosecutor David McNaughton QC told judge Lord Richardson: “On November 9 2020, they approached a schoolteacher and disclosed that they had attempted to take their own life in the weeks before.
“The complainer told the teacher that they had something else to say but struggled to find the words.
“The teacher therefore suggested that they write it down.
“The complainer wrote on a post it note ‘I’ve been getting sexually abused.’
“This was reported to a guidance teacher and assistant head teacher who attempted to speak with the complainer about the disclosure.
“Again, the complainer struggled to articulate what had happened and instead wrote on another post it note ‘he’s been sexually abusing me.’
“The accused was arrested on November 19 2020 and was interviewed.
"The story emerged after Nolan admitted charges raping and sexually assaulting the teenager at the hearing.”
On Tuesday, Mr McNaughton told the court that police became aware of the sexual abuse of the woman following his arrest.
Detectives discovered that he started preying on the woman when she was aged 14 in June 2002 and the abuse continued for another two years.
Mr McNaughton also told the court that following his arrest, Nolan denied any wrongdoing to police.
The advocate added: “He initially denied the sexual abuse of the complainers then provided ‘no comment’ answers to specific questioning.
“However, the accused then stood up and said ‘I’m guilty.’
Nolan spent the hearing on Tuesday sitting in the dock with his head in his hands.
Defence advocate Gareth Jones said the court was obliged to call for reports on his client’s background and that he would be sentenced at a future hearing.
The court heard the report was because Nolan didn’t have any previous convictions for sexual offences.
Mr Jones added: “I will reserve my mitigation until that report has been made available. Mr Nolan is aware of the likely disposal in this case.
“I have been asked to move for bail in this case.”
Lord Richardson refused the motion for bail and remanded Nolan in custody and called for a report into Nolan’s background.
He added: “You have pleaded guilty to the fairly horrendous abuse of the complainers in this case. I have listened to everything which has been said on your behalf but I am going to remand you in custody.”
Nolan will be sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh on May 24 2022.
