PETER RENTON SENTENCED TO OVER NINE YEARS IN PRISON IN GLASGOW FOR SEXUAL OFFENCES IN ABERDEEN, EDINBURGH, AND MUSSELBURGH
A man named Peter Renton, aged 39, has been sentenced to six years and three months in prison for severely abusing two women and filming part of one attack.The offences occurred between April 2019 and June 2021 across locations in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, and Musselburgh, East Lothian.
At the High Court in Glasgow, Lady Scott described Renton as "intimidating, violent and controlling," adding, "Your conduct showed behaviour which was designed to intimidate your victims - it included the filming of the assaults." She emphasized that Renton is "a serious risk of harm to women," justifying an extended sentence to protect the public.
She also ordered that Renton be supervised by authorities for four years after his release.
Renton pleaded guilty earlier in January to charges of assault and rape.
Court proceedings revealed that his first victim was met in mid-2018, and he carried out five attacks on her at his Musselburgh flat and another address in Aberdeen.
In May 2020, Renton assaulted the same woman, punching her at his Musselburgh flat, then forced her into the bedroom, where he grabbed her phone to film himself raping her as she cried.
She reported the incident to police in June 2020.
Following this, Renton moved on to a second victim he met via Facebook.
She was assaulted at her home in Broomhouse, Edinburgh.
Police finally apprehended him in July 2021.
During sentencing at the High Court at Edinburgh, Lady Scott described the gravity of Renton’s crimes and the violent nature of his assaults.
He was given an extended sentence totaling 9 years and 3 months—comprising 6 years and 3 months imprisonment and an additional 3 years on license.
Non-harassment orders were imposed for ten years to prevent contact with his victims.
In her courtroom statement, Lady Scott detailed the nature of the offences, noting: “In the first rape in April 2019, your victim was woken by you flipping her over and pushing her head into the mattress before raping her.
She struggled and screamed in pain, fearing suffocation, and it appeared you derived some thrill from overpowering her and causing pain.
On subsequent occasions, you pushed her onto the bed, held her head, and raped her again, repeatedly violent during sexual contact.
In 2020, you assaulted your first victim further through punching and kicking, forcefully raping her, and even recording the assault.
Her distress was apparent.
Additional violence was inflicted, including standing on her head.
Regarding your second victim, she was subjected to violent sexual demands.
When she resisted, you made demands, used force, and raped her.
You also recorded or filmed these acts, which added an aggravating factor.
Lady Scott highlighted that some elements involving physical violence and controlling behaviour were deleted from original charges but still considered highly serious.
She pointed out that your conduct involved deliberate humiliation, violence, and the taking of film recordings during abuse, indicating a pattern of controlling and violent behaviour.
The court also considered a social work report that assessed you as presenting a high risk of serious harm in an intimate relationship, warranting the extended sentence.
The combined sentence reflects the total course of your conduct: 6 years and 3 months in custody, reduced from 10 years and 3 months due to your early plea, plus 3 years on extended licence.
Additionally, two non-harassment orders were issued, prohibiting you from contacting either victim by any means, including electronic communications, for a period of ten years.
Breaching these conditions could result in imprisonment.
Overall, the court’s decision underscores the gravity of your actions, the violent and manipulative nature of your offences, and the measures taken to protect your victims from further harm.
