Man faces charges of assaulting 99 girls

A MAN has appeared in court accused of sex offences against 99 girls.

Gavin Scoular faces a total of 132 charges, including the repeated rape of a 14-year-old.

Prosecutors claim Scoular, 22, met alleged victims – many of whom are underage – online.

The charges – spanning the period between February 2010 and April 2015 – emerged as Scoular appeared at the High Court in Glasgow.

A property in Edinburgh’s Niddrie featured in the majority of the charges.

It is claimed Scoular raped five girls, including one who is said to have been attacked near Holyrood Park.

It is stated he did ‘repeatedly rape’ another. Scoular also allegedly

Met alleged victims online

threatened to publish naked photographs of her online.

One girl is said to have initially been sleeping before an alleged attack.

Scoular is also accused of lewd and libidinous behaviour with another youngster and sexually assaulting a 12-year-old.

It is claimed he further tried to meet up with a number of girls and pay them, if they agreed. This includes an accusation he requested one ‘engage in sexual activity’ and that he did ‘offer to provide her with money’.

He is also said to have suggested calling the school of another girl ‘to provide excusal for her absence’ so she could meet him. Other allegations are that Scoular made sexual remarks to young females and asked for naked photographs.

Iain Paterson, defending, pleaded not guilty on his behalf. Judge Lord Matthews adjourned the case until March.