Man found guilty of historical sex abuse

A rapist whose attack was denounced as “totally and utterly disgusting” years afterwards by his victim was jailed yesterday.

The woman went to police last year sparking an investigation into Steven Devery after making the comment during a Facebook conversation.

Devery, 45, of Glenlyon Place, Leven, in Fife, had denied raping the woman while she was asleep and under the influence of an unknown substance at a house in his home town between January 2004 and December 2005.

But a jury at the High Court in Edinburgh found him guilty of the offence along with an earlier sex attack on a teenager at a house in Methil, committed between December 2000 and November the following year.

He was acquitted of a further indecent assault between January 2005 and December the following year when he was alleged to have pushed a third woman against a wall and touched her breasts and buttocks at a house in Leven.

Advocate depute Richard Goddard told the court that Devery had learning difficulties following a brain injury and was registered disabled.

Defence counsel Dana Forbes said he had previous convictions for possessing cannabis and ecstasy.

The judge told Devery that he had been convicted of two very serious charges. Lord Armstrong added: “Rape, of course, is a particularly grave crime.”

He deferred sentence until next month and remanded him in custody.