ALLAN ROTCHFORD'S HORRIFIC CRIMES IN BONNYRIGG AND EDINBURGH: SERIAL RAPIST SENTENCED TO LIFE

In January 2021, Allan Rotchford, a 34-year-old man from Bonnyrigg, was sentenced to life imprisonment after a series of heinous crimes spanning over a decade. The High Court in Glasgow heard how Rotchford had committed a total of twelve sex-related offenses, including six rapes and six other sexual assaults, across various locations including Edinburgh, West Lothian, Stirling, and Ayrshire.

Lord Fairley, presiding over the case, imposed a Lifelong Restriction Order, which means Rotchford must serve a minimum of seven years before being eligible for parole. The judge described him as manipulative, deceitful, and extraordinarily cruel, emphasizing the severity of his actions. A detailed report presented during the trial highlighted that Rotchford exhibited a range of psychopathic traits, with one medical expert suggesting he suffered from narcissistic personality disorder. The court also issued a Sexual Offences Prevention Order, prohibiting him from contacting his victims or accessing any images related to them.

Jurors learned that Rotchford’s crimes included raping a woman at her flat in Edinburgh after she had fallen asleep due to medication. Disturbingly, he recorded one of these assaults on his mobile phone. He also used social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook to threaten victims, warning that he would publish intimate images unless they complied with his demands. One victim was coerced into performing sexual acts while she was asleep, and Rotchford continued to abuse her even while on bail. His pattern of predatory behavior extended over ten years, with multiple victims, including a woman in Bonnyrigg and another in Edinburgh, whom he blackmailed with threats of publishing explicit images.

In April 2020, further details emerged about Rotchford’s manipulative tactics. A woman, known as Jane, recounted how he posed as an internet blackmailer, coercing her into humiliating and depraved acts by threatening to release graphic images of her. Using a fake Facebook profile, Rotchford bombarded Jane with over 6,000 messages, demanding she perform specific sexual acts and send videos of herself being abused. He exploited her vulnerability, especially as she had recently given birth, and drugged her on multiple occasions. Jane described feeling trapped, isolated, and overwhelmed, contemplating ending her life due to the relentless abuse.

Jane’s ordeal was part of a broader pattern of abuse. She revealed that Rotchford had used similar blackmail tactics on other women dating back to 2009. After she reported him to the police, he was arrested but released on bail. Undeterred, Rotchford found a new partner in Ayrshire, where he continued his predatory behavior, raping her while he was on bail. He is currently detained at Barlinnie Prison, awaiting sentencing at the High Court for nine counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault by penetration with objects, one count of attempted rape, and two counts of extorting degrading sexual images.

Jane shared her harrowing experience, stating, “I was so trapped by him. I felt like I was in a box buried six feet under, gasping for air. I was helpless. So many times I thought of ending my life. I want people to know Allan Rotchford’s name, to know his face, to know how dangerous he is.”

Her relationship with Rotchford began in 2017 through Tinder, at a time when she was vulnerable—pregnant and experiencing a breakup. She described him as initially sympathetic and charming, someone who listened and seemed to care. However, within months, his demeanor changed drastically. His moods swung from friendliness to violence, and after her baby was born in August 2017, he became increasingly controlling, vindictive, and verbally abusive.

Rotchford’s blackmail scheme was revealed when he returned from work as a delivery driver and told Jane that a blackmailer had contacted him via Facebook. The blackmailer claimed to have an explicit image of her and threatened to publish it unless she cooperated. Rotchford suggested the image came from an ex-partner and advised her against involving the police, insisting that cooperation was her only option. Despite her initial refusal, the image appeared online, forcing Jane into compliance. She described her ordeal as humiliating and sickening, with deadlines imposed for her to send more images and videos. Rotchford amassed a collection of compromising material to use against her.

He then directly contacted Jane, posing as the blackmailer, and demanded videos of her being abused by her partner—himself. Jane recounted waking up to constant messages, feeling degraded and powerless. She was drugged on multiple occasions, unable to remember what had happened until she awoke in pain. Her isolation was complete, as Rotchford watched her constantly and cut her off from her family and friends. Although she suspected Rotchford’s involvement, he was never physically present during the blackmailer’s messages, which led to her feeling even more trapped. When she confided in her mother, police traced the messages back to Rotchford, leading to his arrest for extortion.

Despite having no previous convictions, Rotchford was released on bail and soon targeted another woman in Ayrshire, using the Plenty of Fish dating app. Police warned her about Rotchford’s potential for abuse, but she initially chose to stay with him. Detective Inspector Stevie McMillan of the Police Scotland Domestic Abuse Task Force (East) and Detective Constable Audrey Morrison investigated Rotchford’s history, uncovering two additional victims. One was a woman in Bonnyrigg, Midlothian, whom he assaulted between June 2009 and May 2010, raping her and indecently assaulting her with a bottle while she slept, as well as filming a violent oral sex session that caused her to vomit. The second victim was in Edinburgh, where he abused her over three years from November 2013, employing the same blackmail tactics with a fake Twitter profile and threatening to publish indecent images, which he did on one occasion.

As the police continued their investigation, Lucy (a pseudonym), the woman from Ayrshire, reached out for help. She described how Rotchford controlled her every move, using her to fulfill his rape fantasies and manipulating her into performing degrading acts. She expressed her gratitude to Detective Morrison, stating, “If it hadn’t been for Audrey, I wouldn’t be here. Even when he was arrested, I lived in fear of him and was convinced he would break out of prison. I am so glad the police worked so hard, and a jury believed us, his victims.”

Detective McMillan remarked that Rotchford’s abuse was among the most graphic and disturbing he had encountered, while DC Morrison praised the bravery of the victims who came forward. Both emphasized the importance of victims speaking out and assured that law enforcement would continue to support and protect those affected by such heinous crimes.