Karen Buckley's murderer faced attempted rape charge a year before murder

It has emerged Alexander Pacteau was previously accused of a sex attack on woman – just a mile from where he murdered Karen Buckley.

Pacteau, who today admitted murdering Karen Buckley, was also charged with attempting to rape the 24-year-old female in Baliol Lane in Glasgow's Woodlands on November 27 2011.

The allegation included claims he grabbed the woman, forced her to the ground and repeatedly put his hand over her mouth.

It was claimed Pacteau pinned her down before sexually assaulting her.

Pacteau faced the charged at the High Court in Glasgow, but was later found not guilty.

STV News reported that court transcripts which they have obtained refer to Pacteau as a "daft young lad" who was involved in an incident which went "horribly wrong".

The report said that during the course of the hearing, the former Kelvinside Academy pupil told the jury he was a homosexual and felt “overwhelmed” after being caught by officers near the scene of the alleged attack.

At the High Court in Paisley in February 2013, Pacteau said in evidence: "If I had carried out a sexual assault I would have taken responsibility for my actions. I don’t cower away from that.

"I did not sexually assault this woman. I would never make an attempt to sexually assault this woman.

"I believe rape is the lowest of the low. I’d rather be charged with murder than attempted rape."

The Glasgow-based TV station also report that during the trial Pacteau claimed he suffered from depression and was sometimes "frightened to leave the house".

He appeared in court on crutches after he had been involved in a car crash in August 2012, which led to him being hospitalised for one month and requiring surgery on his hip.

Jurors found Pacteau not guilty by a majority verdict after a five-day trial, during which his alleged victim gave evidence.