A RAPIST who filmed his friend sexually abusing their victim during a horrifying attack in Cowdenbeath has been sent to prison.

Despicable Costel Marin, 38, and his flatmate Bogdan Iordache, 42, both raped a woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, at a house in Cowdenbeath on August 18 in 2020.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard how Marin stopped abusing his victim and started shooting phone footage of his Iordache carrying out the attack.

Marin - who met his victim online - then sent the clip of the rape to another woman. But police became aware of the duo’s actions and managed to build a case which resulted in them being given seven year jail terms.

On Thursday, judge Lady Poole told the pair that she had read a statement provided to her by the pair’s victim and that they both had to go to prison.

Passing sentence, she said: “Raping your victim was a despicable thing to do. I have read the Victim Impact Statement provided to this court.

“What you did your victim not only impacted on her physical health but it also had an impact on her mental health.

“I have taken into account everything which has been said on your behalf.

“However, society will not tolerate the sexual violence and sexual exploitation of women.

“I have come to the conclusion that there is no other suitable way of dealing with you than imposing a custodial sentence.”

The Romanian citizens, who lived in Cowdenbeath were found guilty of rape at the end of proceedings at the high court last month. Sentence had been deferred for the court to obtain reports.

Marin was also convicted on a charge of voyeurism which stated that he filmed his victim without obtaining her consent and which allowed him or “another” to look at the images of the attack.

He was also convicted of another charge of intentionally causing another woman to look at the image of the attack by sending her images of the assault.

During the trial last month, the court heard how Marin met the woman online. She came to the house that Marin shared with Iordache on August 18 2020.

Jurors heard how the woman didn’t know that Marin shared a flat with another man and she was sexually assaulted in Iordache’s bedroom.

The court heard how the two men repeatedly seized their victim’s head and forced her to perform sex acts on them. They then had sex with her.

Marin then started filming Iordache continuing to rape her which he then forwarded to another woman.

However, detectives became aware of the men’s activities and they were arrested and brought to court.

On Thursday, Iordache’s defence solicitor advocate Tommy Allan told the court that his client believed he did nothing wrong.

He added: “He maintains his innocence in relation to this matter. He is a 42-year-old male and he has a young family. There are no previous convictions. He is assessed as being at a medium risk of re-offending.”

Marin’s advocate Chris Miller told the court that his client also maintained his innocence.

He said: “He accepts that a custodial sentence is inevitable. He maintains his innocence as his right.

“He is single and he has no children.”

For the voyeurism charge, Lady Poole sentenced Marin to 18 months which will be served concurrently to the seven year term.

However, she also handed Marin a 136 day term for sending on the image which will be served consecutively to the seven year sentence.

Both men were also put on the Sex Offenders Register for life.