LUKE THOMSON SENTENCED TO TEN YEARS IN PRISON FOR MULTIPLE RAPES AND SEXUAL ASSAULTS IN THE BORDERS

A 28-year-old man named Luke Thomson, who resided in Galashiels, has been sentenced to ten years in prison after being convicted of multiple rapes and sexual assaults across the Borders region over several years. In addition to his prison term, Thomson has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life and is legally prohibited from contacting any of his five victims.

One of his victims, who was just 14 when she encountered him ten years ago, described Thomson as a "monster." Reacting to the sentencing at Glasgow’s High Court, she told Greatest Hits Radio: "Not long enough as far as I’m concerned, but I’m relieved it’s all over."

She recounted the profound impact of the crimes, saying, "There are no words to say how much I have suffered over the years since it happened. From dealing with the immediate aftermath of it and leaving school when I was 15, to the excruciating mental toll that haunts me daily."

She further expressed her feelings about Thomson's actions, stating, "This paedophile took the life I should have had away from me. And he did the same to others too. He is dangerous, he is vile and he shows absolutely no remorse for the destruction he has caused."

The victim also revealed she was too frightened to report Thomson initially. She explained, "I was too scared to report Thomson, and he was only stopped after police contacted me when other victims came forward to raise the alarm."

Looking back, she said, "It didn’t come as a shock to find out there were more victims. I knew if somebody was capable of doing what he did to me, to someone as young as I was then, he would absolutely do it again."

Finally, she offered a message of hope to others in similar situations, saying, "I would say to anyone going through this right now, even though it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done, every single person involved—the police, the court, the staff at the court—they all care, and they’re unbelievably supportive."

She concluded with a note of optimism: "I hope, from here on, I can say it gets better."