My wife, though desperately ill, is going to be haunted by the attack for the rest of her life

Victim's husband

His 28-year-old brother, Mark, was acquitted of two counts of indecent assault.

The victim's husband said he was appalled that the court considered imposing a non-custodial guardianship, but social services could not find any care homes willing to look after him.

Judge Mowat said Archibald would have been jailed for at least seven years were Archibald a "man of ordinary intellect".

But she added that imposing a long jail sentence on such a man without exploring treatment options would "be a return to the Dark Ages".

The victim's husband, a television presenter, said outside court: "It's a classic example of British justice showing undue consideration for the convict at the expense of the victim."

'Devastating'

He was baffled that he had had to fight to persuade the Crown Prosecution Service to prosecute, even though a jury found Archibald guilty within an hour.

The presenter, who works for BBC televsion news, added: "They believed that she was disabled and she wouldn't be a reliable witness.

"That doesn't say much for justice for disabled people.

"This has had a devastating effect on my family. My wife, though desperately ill, is going to be haunted by the attack for the rest of her life.

The presenter disputed the claim by a defence psychologist that Archibald had the mental age of a nine-year-old and an IQ of 52.

Home vandalised

He said: "He was able to send text messages on his mobile at court and he can drive a car.

"What is he doing going around with condoms in his pocket and raping a woman almost 30 years older than him in a nursing home?"

Archibald could be free within 13 months, having served five months on remand in custody while awaiting sentencing.

The husband said he had installed CCTV cameras at his home, which had been vandalised since the offences.

Archibald's lawyers have lodged an appeal against his conviction.