Mental health nurse accused of raping three women

A 26-year-old, who claims she was sexually attacked by Peter Barrowman, alleged that when she was raped by the 35-year-old from Stenhousemuir in a doctor’s room in Cornton Vale Prison, she “didn’t have much energy” because of the medication she was on.

The woman was giving evidence for a second day at the trial. She told the jury Barrowman said forging the doctor’s signature was easy.

Barrowman is accused of supplying three women with drugs and raping them. He is also charged with another attempted rape and sexually assaulting a fourth woman.

Barrowman also faces drugs charges, and behaving in a threatening or abusive manner towards one of his alleged victims.

All the alleged offences are said to have taken place at Cornton Vale Prison between February and March 2014.

During cross-examination by defence solicitor advocate Liam Ewing she confirmed she had a clear recollection of him coming into her cell and talking to her about medication that would help her.

She claimed that in another, later conversation with Barrowman he said the doctor didn’t know she was being put on tablets.

She said: “He said something about Dr Craig doesn’t know that I was put on it, he had actually done it himself and signed it himself because Dr Craig’s signature is really easy, it’s really just a tick.”

Mr Ewing asked when the discussion about him forging the signature took place and she replied: “That happened after I got the medication.”

In earlier evidence the alleged victim claimed she had been attacked by Barrowman in a doctor’s room and raped.

Mr Ewing put to her that she wasn’t held down and that he didn’t have a weapon and she said “no”.

He said: “You didn’t shout or scream”, before she answered: “I tried”.

She wept when Mr Ewing put to her: “But, as a matter of fact this happened to you and you made no attempt to leave.”

The witness replied: “It’s just... I can’t explain it.”

She claimed security staff at the prison didn’t immediately call the police because they wanted to deal with it “their way” but that the police were later contacted.

Mr Ewing put parts of a police statement given by the woman to the police.

She confirmed she spoke to them but claimed she told them at the time it was “all blurry” and it was what she thought happened.

She repeatedly told the jury that parts of the statement were wrong and that she contacted the police when her head was clearer to change it.

One of the excerpts read included Barrowman allegedly saying he “would be getting something back” for the tablets, adding: “I stood up and tried to leave but he held me by the wrist and pulled me back on to the seat.

“He held me there by the wrist and his hand on my thigh so I couldn’t get up.”

The woman told the court: “I called them back up and said there was some parts I wanted to change.”

Barrowman denies the charges and the trial before judge Sean Murphy QC continues.