The Herald

Serial rapist ‘possessed by the devil’ is jailed for life

- JACK MCGREGOR

A MAN who raped a woman more than 900 times and described as being “possessed by the devil” has been jailed.

Brian Mctaggart, 54, was given a life sentence for a catalogue of terror over almost quarter of a century.

A 53-year-old woman recalled how she was raped by Mctaggart almost daily for six years.

This included attacking her shortly after she had given birth.

He told her he should not be deprived of sex because “she had a bairn”.

Jurors further heard he dropped a hair dryer into her bath – and also kicked her down a flight of stairs.

The woman said after the attacks Mctaggart would claim he was sorry.

She added: “He was always full of apologies and buying me flowers.”

In all, Mctaggart was convicted last September of preying on a total of 18 victims.

The crimes occurred mainly in Dundee between 1980 and 2001.

His controllin­g attitude yesterday described as belonging to the “stone age” by judge Lord Mulholland.

Sentencing had been delayed after prosecutor­s moved to have him served with an Order for Lifelong Restrictio­n due to the danger he posed.

The court had heard another rape victim tell how she was attacked while she was sleeping. When she awoke and pleaded “no”,

Mctaggart simply replied: “You belong to me.

“I can do anything I want.” Another woman was raped – and had her head plunged under water.

Mctaggart was also found guilty of indecently assaulting girls and boys, plus other victims.

One of these victims – now a 30year-old man – described Mctaggart as “being possessed by the devil”.

The court heard one woman had previously been the victim of domestic violence.

She actually met Mctaggart while attending a group to help her with what happened before he pounced.

Mctaggart admitted at his trial that he had “done a lot wrong” – but denied being a rapist.

He insisted he was the victim of a “witch-hunt”.

But, prosecutor Mark Mcguire told his trial: “Mctaggart was only interested in domination, humiliatio­n and sexual gratificat­ion.”

Lord Mulholland gave Mctaggart an Order for Lifelong Restrictio­n and said he must serve a minimum eight years behind bars.

The judge told him victims were treated as “punchbags and chattels” with many being “beaten into submission”.

He added: “Women are not there to be physically and sexually abused.

“It is time for you to be sentenced for these crimes.”

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