A SEX attacker who hit a holidaymaker’s head against a rock at a beach before raping her has been given a prison sentence of five years and three months.

Gary Wishart, 28, carried out the assault on his victim near to Seton Sands Holiday Park before stealing car keys and a vehicle from the caravan park.

Wishart had denied assaulting and raping the 43-year-old woman on the beach near to the holiday park on August 22, 2019.

During the attack on the victim, her head was repeatedly struck against a rock at the beach.

Wishart sat shaking his head in the dock after a jury found him guilty last month at the High Court in Edinburgh by a majority verdict of committing the sex crime.

Lord Tyre deferred sentence on Wishart to obtain a report on his background.

READ MORE: Rapist hit his victim's head against a rock during sex attack on the beach

On Friday, Lord Tyre told him that he had no other option but to send him to jail.

Passing sentence, Lord Tyre said: “By the verdict of the jury, you were convicted by the jury on a charge of rape of a woman who had gone on holiday with a friend.

“This is very clearly a very serious offence. You have been assessed of presenting a medium risk of sexual and other reoffending.

“It is clear that the only appropriate sentence which can be imposed in this case is the imposition of a sentence of imprisonment.”

At an earlier hearing, Lord Tyre told jurors that they had heard "a serious and in some ways rather distressing case".

Wishart, formerly of Roxburgh Place, Newton St Boswells, in the Scottish Borders, had pleaded guilty to stealing car keys and a car on August 22, 2019, and driving without insurance.

Wishart, who has previous convictions for fireraising and breach of the peace, also admitted failing to stop after colliding with parked vehicles and causing damage to them at Bath Street, Portobello, on the same date.

On Friday, Lord Tyre also placed Wishart on the sex offenders' register for life.