BRUCE BUCHANAN FROM CROY FACES LIFE SENTENCE AFTER DECADES OF VIOLENCE IN INVERNESS AND TAIN

A man with a long history of violent and sexual offenses, Bruce Buchanan, aged 60, has been warned that he could face life imprisonment following a series of brutal attacks spanning over thirty years. Buchanan's crimes, which include severe assaults, sexual violence, and verbal abuse, took place across various locations in Inverness, Tain, and a small Highland village, with the pattern of his offending beginning in June 1986 and continuing until June 2017.

Throughout this period, Buchanan inflicted significant harm on multiple women. His methods of attack were particularly violent and disturbing. During one assault, he was reported to have squeezed a woman's throat with enough force to threaten her life, while also forcing his hand into her mouth. Such acts contributed to his convictions for two separate rapes, one incident of assault causing serious injury and posing a danger to life, as well as numerous other assaults. His violent tendencies extended beyond physical attacks; he also subjected at least one victim to verbal abuse, physical kicks, punches, and threats. In one particularly alarming incident, Buchanan threatened a woman with a knife, sat on her, and pressed his thumbs into her eyes, demonstrating a pattern of extreme aggression and intimidation.

Other victims were not spared from his brutality. One woman was grabbed by the nose and threatened, while another was pinned down, squeezed, and throttled during an attack. The timeline of Buchanan’s offending reveals a disturbing pattern of repeated violence and sexual assault over more than three decades. Despite initially denying 13 charges brought against him, Buchanan was ultimately convicted of seven offenses during his trial. The presiding judge, Lord Fairley, expressed particular concern about Buchanan’s propensity to choke or asphyxiate his victims, noting that one woman feared she might die during the assault.

Following the convictions, a risk assessment has been ordered to evaluate the potential danger Buchanan poses to the public. This assessment could result in a lifelong restriction order, which would prevent him from contacting his victims or reoffending. As of the latest report, the final sentencing decision had not yet been made, but the court had already issued non-harassment orders to prevent Buchanan from contacting those he harmed. His sentencing was deferred until May 19, allowing for further legal considerations and assessments to be completed.