Man jailed for abusing women over 18 years
A MAN who carried out a lengthy campaign of domestic abuse against several partners has been sentenced to 10 years in prison and will be monitored for the rest of his life.
Thomas Laird raped three women and threatened to rape a fourth during a catalogue of crimes spanning 18 years at addresses in Glasgow, Dunbartonshire and Lanarkshire.
Laird was brought to justice after one of his victims contacted Police Scotland’s national domestic abuse taskforce. He was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh yesterday.
Detective Chief Inspector Samantha McCluskey, of Police Scotland’s Domestic Abuse Taskforce, said: “Today represents the culmination of a lengthy investigation, which was greatly assisted by Laird’s previous partners, who all had received regular, systematic violent abuse from him, over an 18-year period.
“It is thanks to the bravery of his victims that we were able to bring him to justice.”
One woman told the High Court in Glasgow that Laird had groomed her sister from the age of 11.
She sobbed as she told how the 38-year-old supermarket worker had produced a knife and threatened to rape her after she found out her sister was pregnant by him.
Laird was convicted in June last year and his sentencing, which was due to take place in January, was postponed, sparking one of his victims to criticise the delay as “totally unacceptable”.
Temporary judge Michael O’Grady sentenced Laird yesterday and imposed an order of lifelong restriction.
On conviction, the judge described him as “clever, manipulative and exploitative”.