A GANGLAND enforcer who repeatedly raped a woman who owed his drug-dealing boss money for narcotics has been jailed for seven years.

Michael Nelson, 38, threatened her with violence if she did not have sex with him.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard how Nelson was sent to his victim's home in Govan, Glasgow, to collect cash for a drug debt.

But Nelson, who once owned a sawn-off shotgun that was implicated in the shooting of a policeman, spent 24 hours brutalising the woman.

She eventually plucked up enough courage to contact police, who brought Nelson to justice.

The court also heard the woman, who was addicted to drugs, is attempting to turn her life round by seeking treatment for her addiction.

Nelson was convicted of two charges of rape following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow last month and appeared at the High Court in Edinburgh for sentencing.

Judge Lady Wolffe told him: "The experience was an extremely distressing one for the complainer."

Defence advocate Tony Graham told the court Nelson also had a drug problem. However, Lady Wolffe said she had no option but to send Nelson to prison.

Nelson, a prisoner at Barlinnie, had previously been jailed in November 2008 for five years for firearms offences.

On that occasion, the High Court in Glasgow heard how police were chasing Nelson through Glasgow when he dropped a polythene bag containing a sawn-off shotgun.

When Constable Iain Young picked up the bag, the gun went off, causing a bullet to shoot through his hand.