JOHN WOOD'S SHOCKING CRIMES IN GLASGOW: CHARITY WORKER HELD WOMEN HOSTAGE AND RAPED THEM

In April 2022, a disturbing case emerged from Glasgow involving John Wood, a man who was once trusted as a charity worker but was later found guilty of heinous crimes against women he held hostage in his own flat.

Wood, who had been employed by organizations such as the Scottish Association for Mental Health, the Simon Community Scotland, and Turning Point Scotland, was accused of committing multiple sexual assaults, including rape and attempted rape, against two women. His actions have sent shockwaves through the community and raised serious concerns about the safety of vulnerable individuals he was supposed to help.

One of his victims, a woman who was in a relationship with him, bravely shared her harrowing experience after his conviction at Glasgow High Court. She recounted that her ordeal began after she discovered Wood was openly flirting with another woman via Facebook chat, which led her to end their relationship. She explained, “I caught him openly flirting with a girl he’d been with in the past via a Facebook chat so I decided to end the relationship.”

Her account detailed the night Wood returned from holiday, which marked the first time he raped her. She described her shock and disbelief, noting that Wood was cold and dismissive towards her during this period. The assault was followed by a second attack a few days later, when she returned to his flat to retrieve some belongings. She revealed, “He held me captive in the bedroom of his flat for what felt like forever, but was actually maybe 45 minutes to an hour. I tried to fight him off but he prevented me from escaping. I was absolutely broken and traumatised.”

Further investigations uncovered that Wood had also raped a 34-year-old woman, adding to the gravity of his crimes. The first victim expressed how these events severely impacted her mental health. She admitted, “I had already been struggling but continued to work full-time though I had dropped out of university in my third year due to the impact of the trauma. I stupidly thought, as many victims of sexual violence do, that it was only me who had been assaulted.”

It was also revealed that the second woman was not only a victim but also his girlfriend. She recounted that Wood had raped her early in their relationship, manipulating and coercing her. Her account detailed that after the initial assault in Glasgow, he raped her two more times in England. She discovered messages on his phone and laptop from men and women, detailing meetings in hotels and her home for sex. When she confronted him, their relationship ended, and it was during this period that he raped her for the final time.

At Glasgow High Court last month, John Wood was convicted of multiple charges, including the rape of his first victim and an attempted rape at a flat in Dowanhill. He was also found guilty of raping his second victim at the same flat a month later. The court proceedings concluded with his conviction, and he is scheduled to be sentenced shortly.

This case has highlighted the disturbing reality of abuse and manipulation by someone in a position of trust, leaving a lasting impact on the victims and the community at large.