Rapist could ‘face life in jail’

A sex attacker whose victims claimed he surfed the dark web and spiked their drinks was warned he could face a life sentence.

Dane Lundie, 37, subjected four women to rape ordeals as he targeted vulnerable victims for degrading treatment.

Lundie, who has previous convictions for violence and sexual crimes, menaced victims with a cut-throat razor and a hunting knife.

A judge ordered that an expert should prepare a full risk assessment report on Lundie, which can lead to the making of an order for lifelong restriction (OLR).

Under an OLR, the court fixes a minimum jail term, but any future release is determined by parole authorities.

Judge Fiona Tait said the risk criteria may be met and adjourned sentencing until August for the preparation of the report.

Defence solicitor advocate Iain Paterson had urged the judge to deal with Lundie at yesterday’s appearance in the High Court in Edinburgh by imposing a determinate sentence with a further period of supervision.

He argued “adequate punishment, retribution and deterrence” could be imposed under such an extended sentence.

Lundie had earlier denied a string of charges at a trial, but was convicted of 12 offences, including rape, assault to danger of life, abduction and threatening and abusive behaviour.

Lundie began offending in Perth in 2013 when he was living at an address in Collinson View.

Between January that year and November the following year, he raped two women.

STRUGGLING renters are being offered “little more than warm words” as they campaign for help in a cost-of-living crisis.

North East MSP Mercedes Villalba hit out after calling for Nicola Sturgeon to impose a rent freeze.

She received a response from Tenants’ Rights Minister Patrick Harvie on Tuesday, but said his comments would “make little difference” if he’s not prepared to intervene.

The SNP-Green Government at Holyrood is consulting on legislation that would introduce a form of rent controls before the end of the current parliamentary term.

Ms Villalba argues tenants “cannot afford to wait for three or more years”.

We reported previously how rent is squeezing tenants out of their homes. A cost-of-living crisis is about to get worse as energy bills continue to rise.

In February researchers analysed 199,000 rental ads to reveal where in the UK renters are priced out

Dane Lundie