A man who raped an 18-year-old woman on her first night out with friends in Aberdeen city centre has been jailed for six years.

Daniel Teglas, 20, targeted the woman, who was sitting in a doorway and took her to the roof area of the Bon-Accord Centre in the early hours of July 27, this year.

He lifted her up and dragged her to a sheltered spot, before throwing her into bushes and raping her.

Teglas left his victim in a flower bed and she was later found by passers-by, who came to her aid.

He was jailed for six years on Wednesday.

At the High Court in Glasgow Judge Gordon Liddle told father-of-two Teglas: "You are a vile predator. You came across your victim when she was drunk and in no condition to defend herself from your intention to rape her.

"You should be ashamed. You have shown no empathy for your victim and no remorse beyond feeling sorry for yourself.

"What you have done is a woman's nightmare. It is unlikely your victim will ever recover from her ordeal.

"It is to be hoped she and the other residents of Aberdeen may sleep a little easier knowing that you are off the streets. It was a despicable crime you committed."

'You are a vile predator. You came across your victim when she was drunk and in no condition to defend herself from your intention to rape her.'

Judge Gordon Liddle

Prosecutor Sean Smith QC told the court that Teglas approached the teenager and said to her: "You okay."

He said: "Before she could respond he grabbed her by the arm and picked her up and took her to the top deck of the Bon-Accord Centre.

"The victim's legs could be seen to buckle under her on CCTV footage.

"She later said her legs felt like 'wet spaghetti' and would not bear her weight."

When Teglas lifted her up as she went limp in his arms "like a rag doll", said Mr Smith.

He added: "On the evening of July 26 the victim visited bars and clubs in Aberdeen city centre with friends.

"She had only recently turned 18 and it was the first time she had been on a night out in town with her friends."

Teglas, who is from Romania, arrived in the UK with his wife and family in June this year.

Police traced Teglas to an address in George Street, in Aberdeen, using CCTV.

He was taken to Kittybrewster police station where a forensic medical examiner asked him when he last had sex, to which he replied: "About 4 am with that girl."

He said he did not know the girl and when asked if he felt any guilt or remorse replied "yes".

Defence counsel David Moggach said that that night Teglas had been out begging on the streets of Aberdeen.

Teglas smiled as he was led down to the cells and his victim, who was in court, shouted at him: "Don't smile at me."