A man who raped two young women has had his sentence increased.

Connor McNealis was given a six-year sentence in April 2024 after being found guilty following a trial at Edinburgh's High Court.

The 27-year-old was 19 when he attacked and raped his first victim on two separate occasions in 2016. 

He was 23 and 24 when he raped the second on various occasions in 2020 and 2021.  

His offending took place in the Paisley area as well as in Edinburgh. 

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The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) asked the court to consider imposing a longer term due to the serious nature of the offences.   

This was upheld and McNealis' original sentence was quashed and replaced with a nine-year sentence. 

COPFS said while the sentence is rightfully the domain of the independent judiciary, the balance of justice is served by the Crown being allowed to appeal in limited circumstances.    

The Appeal Court has set a high test to be satisfied for this to happen.    

COPFS added the sentence must be unduly lenient, meaning it falls outside the range of sentences which the judge could reasonably have considered appropriate having taken account of all relevant factors. 

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Kenny Donnelly, who is the deputy crown agent for COPFS, said: “COPFS is committed to improving the criminal justice journey for victims, from the stage of reporting all the way through to sentencing. 

“Prosecutors have a responsibility in legislation to consider appeals based upon undue leniency in sentencing. 

"Such appeals are rare but important to ensure the public interest is properly served.  

"They allow the court to review sentences that the Crown believe fall outside the range of punishment reasonably considered appropriate.  

"COPFS believes that it is important that the harm caused by sexual offending, and the culpability of the convicted person, must be consistently reflected in sentencing decisions.”