Darren Donaldson: Ice hockey player jailed for raping teenage girl he picked up during sleepover

An ice hockey player who raped a teenage girl in his car after picking her up from a sleepover has been jailed.

Darren Donaldson, 19, chased the girl when she was heavily drunk and unable to consent.

Donaldson, of Dyce in Aberdeenwas 17 at the time of the serious assault in August 2022.

A court heard how he first met his victim, who was under 16, through his friends and ice hockey teammates from Dundee.

On the night of the attack, Donaldson visited a house where the girl was staying but was refused entry.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) said the victim was put to bed by friends a short time later due to her intoxication.

However, Donaldson later collected the girl from the property and drove to an address in Perth and Kinross where he raped her. He then drove the victim back to her boyfriend’s house.

COPFS said the girl woke up the next day and had flashbacks before the matter was reported to police Scotland.

Donaldson denied any wrongdoing but was found guilty of rape in September following a High Court trial in Edinburgh.

Katrina Parkes, Scotland’s attorney general for sex crimes at the High Court, said: ‘Darren Donaldson took advantage of a young girl who was unable to give or withhold consent.

“He will now face the consequences of his actions following this prosecution and conviction.”

Donaldson was convicted by the Supreme Court Glasgow Monday, where he was sentenced to four and a half years in prison.

He was also added to the sex offenders register indefinitely and banned from contacting his victim for 15 years.

Speaking after the trial, Detective Inspector Mark Guild said: ‘My thoughts are with the victim, who has shown enormous strength in coming forward and supporting our investigation.

“I hope the sentence imposed on Donaldson provides her with some form of comfort.”