DETECTIVE: LET US KNOW

A victim of a serial sex attacker spoke out yesterday to encourage other victims to come forward.

Maria Todd was raped and beaten by 34- yearold Kevin Adair during their three- year relationship in 2003.

Last week the violent Dumbarton man was jailed for nine years, and given a further six years of supervision, after he was found guilty of raping and beating Maria and four other women over a period of 11 years.

During a trial at the High Court in Glasgow, a judge described Adair’s treatment of his five former partners as “like a cat with a mouse”. Judge Michael O’grady said he took “sadistic pleasure” in his crimes, and said he believed Adair “will remain a danger to any woman with whom you have a relationship, and perhaps women at large.”

He was jailed for nine years for seven charges including rape, sexual assault, blackmailing a woman into having sex with him by claiming he had naked photographs of her and punching a woman while she was holding a baby.

Adair preyed on another woman by bombarding her with messages and pushed her, causing her to fall down stairs at a flat in Argyll & Bute in 2011.

Maria, 31, has waived her right to anonymityto help encourage more of Adair’s potential victims to come forward and have confidence in how their allegations will be investigated. She said: “I believe there will be more victims. I hope they feel strong enough to speak out now.”

Detective Superintendent Gordon Mccreadie, Police Scotland’s national lead for Domestic Abuse, said any other women abused by Adair would be fully supported.

He said: “In cases such as this it takes confidence for any other victims to come forward, and when they feel ready to do so, Police Scotland will work with partners to listen to their report, investigate it thoroughly and then support them through any criminal justice process.