Eight years’ jail for Fort sex attacks

A sex attacker who raped a sleeping teenager and assaulted a second victim when she was under the influence of drink was jailed for eight years last week.

The jailing of Thomas Findlay was greeted by applause from one woman onlooker at the High Court in Edinburgh.

Findlay, 22, of Glasgow Road, Dumbarton, committed a string of sex crimes in the Fort William area between April 2015 and December 2017.

A judge told him: ‘I am conscious at the time of these offences you were a young man and indeed remain so.’

But Michael O’Grady QC said the evidence revealed he was one who ‘systematically preyed’ on young females.

The judge said: ‘The report before me would suggest that even now you show little empathy or remorse, and essentially accept no responsibility.’

He said Findlay’s disturbing behaviour was bound to attract a prison sentence.

The judge also ordered that he should be kept under supervision for a further period of three years.

Findlay was earlier convicted by a jury of having underage sex with two girls and raping one of them and assaulting and raping a third victim.

He had illegal intercourse with one 15-year-old at an address in Fort William and at a nearby village, but also raped her on occasions when she fell asleep.

Findlay also had sex with a second underage girl in Fort William and attacked a third victim at a house in the town and raped her when she was incapable of giving or withholding consent as she was under the influence of alcohol.

Findlay was acquitted of a further rape charge which the Crown had alleged had taken place in a vehicle in Fort William on January 2 last year. He had denied all the rape charges.

Defence counsel Graham Robertson said Findlay recognised the judge had ‘very little option other than to impose a custodial sentence’.

Findlay was placed on the sex offenders’ register.