A rape survivor has spoken of the moment she suffered a panic attack as she prepared to give evidence against her “narcissist” abuser in court.
Disgraced Aberdeen businessman Ryan Steehouder, 33, forced his victim to endure the ordeal of a trial because he refused to admit what he’d done to his former girlfriend.
But the woman, now aged 33, was a credible witness who helped to convict the sexual deviant who was finally jailed on Tuesday morning.
“I’m absolutely over the moon,” she said, adding: “Justice has well and truly been served. I hope he now realises that he isn’t untouchable”.
Steehouder, who once owned the high-end fashion shop 1 Off in the city’s Galleria, had claimed a sex attack was just a “bit of roleplay”, a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh heard previously.
Ryan Steehouder ran a fashion business in Aberdeen but is now in prison for rape
During the criminal court proceedings, the former offshore worker even confronted a journalist who was covering the case, telling them that his accuser was “lying” and just “wanted her day in court”.
But the woman has since told The P&J: “I felt angry that he approached a court reporter during the trial and told them that I was lying, which wasn’t the case.
“I didn’t actually report him to the police. They approached me because of the type of person that he is. I helped the police put someone away to get justice for someone else.”
The victim’s torment included having her head slammed against a car window and Steehouder posting on social media that he was sitting outside her home with a knife.
He also repeatedly breached court orders to stay away from her.
Today, the judge sentenced Steehouder for threatening or abusive behaviour, assaulting his latest victim to the danger of her life, as well as raping and sexually assaulting her between May 2011 and April 2015.
“Your behaviour towards the complainer was violent, abusive and controlling,” Lord Doherty told him.
“It is clear that despite your conviction you continue to deny the charge.”
Speaking after the short hearing on the condition of anonymity, the woman – who cannot be named for legal reasons, slammed her attacker’s lack of accountability.
“He is a narcissist and narcissists never take responsibility for what they do,” she said, adding: “He thinks he’s right all the time.
“He never takes responsibility for what he does. He’s never in the wrong. It’s always the victim who’s wronged him.
“But people now know about him so hopefully he’ll change, but whether he does is his choice.”
Aberdeen rapist Ryan Steehouder cared more about his appearance than taking responsibility for his actions
Steehouder, of Sunnyside Road in Aberdeen, watched from prison via video link as Lord Doherty jailed him for six years with two years of supervision to follow upon his release.
The survivor of his abuse said: “He’ll probably be sitting in prison thinking he doesn’t deserve to be there, wondering why this has happened to him, that it’s everyone else’s fault instead of his.
“I hope he now realises that he isn’t untouchable. But I don’t know if he’ll try to be a better person.
“He’s got so many of his own unresolved issues within himself that he needs to get all that sorted first.”
She described the moment that his not-guilty plea forced her to give evidence against him during the daunting trial in the Scottish capital.
“When I stepped into the courtroom, I had a panic attack. It feels very different from what you see on television,” he said.
During proceedings, Steehouder turned up to court each day in designer clothing with his hair dyed blonde.
“He wasn’t presentable,” his vindicated accuser said. “Any normal person would have toned it down”.
Previously, she told the jury that Steehouder had dismissed one of his sex attacks as being nothing more than just a “bit of roleplay”.
The court heard he subjected her to physical assaults involving her being seized by him, lifted by her body and thrown – causing the stricken woman to strike her head and body against walls and doors.
Jurors were also told that Steehouder would lie on top of her, kick her, restrain her, choke her and cause her to lose consciousness.
The victim described to the court the moment that she was raped, explaining: “He took off my underpants and put them into my mouth.
“He told me it was a bit of a roleplay. He told me not to scream and he told me not to shout. He told me it was an ‘F’ing rape’. He told me to shut up and said, ‘Don’t scream’.
“He managed to fully penetrate me. I winced and he told me to shut the f**k up. I felt horrible after it.”
The woman went on to tell the jury about another time that Steehouder sexually assaulted her.
“He put his fingers inside me and said, ‘I’m just checking to see that nobody has been inside’ of me.”
Ryan Steehouder’s rape survivor gives interview to encourage other victims to seek justice
Steehouder’s rape survivor said she hoped her traumatic experience would inspire other people who are currently suffering in silence.
“Sometimes the police get a bad name for themselves but I don’t think they’re given the credit that they deserve especially with cases like this,” she said.
“My biggest regret is that I didn’t come forward sooner, but it wasn’t the time for me. I hope if other people are suffering that they will speak up about it.
“If something doesn’t feel right right and it’s playing on your mind, remember that your gut never lies. Speak to somebody about it and do what you think is right.
“Don’t keep going back because it’s what you know and is comfortable and because they’ve manipulated you to think that you’ll get no one else and won’t do better than them. You will.”
READ MORE: Ryan Steehouder preyed on his victim and subjected her to repeated physical and sexual abuse
Disgraced Aberdeen fashion shop boss jailed after raping and abusing woman
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