Abuser raped woman more than 900 times

Judge says Dundee man treated women as ‘chattels and punchbags’

A Dundee man who raped a woman more than 900 times has been brought to justice.

Brian McTaggart, 53, even raped his victim in front of a young child, dropped a hair drier into her bath and kicked her down a flight of stairs. On another occasion, he pushed the woman, who is now in her fifties, over a bannister.

Another rape victim, now in her forties, was choked and then had her head forced under water, while a third was raped on four occasions as she slept.

Yesterday McTaggart was convicted at the High Court in Glasgow of a horrific catalogue of sexual and physical abuse against 18 victims.

All the offences were committed at various addresses in Dundee between 1980 and 2001.

Not proven verdicts were returned for charges of raping a fourth woman and of raping a 30-year-old man.

Judge Lord Mulholland told McTaggart: “Your conduct was deplorable treating a succession of woman as chattels and punchbags.”

McTaggart’s name was placed on the sex offenders register and the judge told him he was considering imposing an order for life-long restriction.

Sentence was deferred until November for a risk assessment and a background report.

In evidence, the woman in her fifties, who was raped by McTaggart on an almost daily basis, said she put up with it because she loved him and added: “He raped me two or three times a week over six years. He also raped me shortly after I had given birth.”

The woman said that after the rapes and violence McTaggart would be sorry for what he had done.

He also physically assaulted victims over a 20-year period at various addresses in Dundee.

Prosecutor Mark McGuire said of McTaggart: “His sexually-depraved conduct blighted lives.

“He abused, assaulted and took advantage of almost every single person he came across.

“Mr McTaggart was only interested in domination, humiliation and sexual gratification.”

McTaggart has a number of previous convictions for violence and breach of the peace.

He showed no emotion as he was led away to the cells.

Brian McTaggart: “depraved”.