RUARAIDH MCCARTNEY FROM CRIEFF JAILED FOR SERIOUS SEXUAL OFFENCES IN GLASGOW AND PERTHSHIRE

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the communities of Crieff, Stirling, and Perthshire, a 29-year-old man named Ruaraidh McCartney has been sentenced to eight years in prison after being convicted of multiple severe sexual offences. The conviction was handed down following a high-profile trial that took place at the High Court in Glasgow, where the jury found him guilty on Wednesday, July 5.

McCartney’s crimes spanned a decade, with the offences occurring between 2011 and 2021 across various locations in Stirlingshire and Perthshire. The court heard harrowing details of the assaults, which involved three different women, each of whom endured traumatic experiences at the hands of McCartney. All three victims had pleaded with him to cease during what initially appeared to be consensual encounters, but these interactions devolved into violent and coercive acts.

The first victim recounted that she was repeatedly raped by McCartney at different addresses in and around Crieff, Perthshire, over a period from January 2011 to April 2013. She described how McCartney derived a disturbing sense of pleasure from her pain, recounting incidents where he kicked her, headbutted her, partially strangled her, pulled her nipples, and beat her buttocks. Her testimony painted a picture of relentless abuse and intimidation.

The second woman, who had lived with McCartney in Stirling for nearly two years, provided a chilling account of an incident in the autumn or winter of 2019. She stated that during a sexual encounter, she became uncomfortable and asked him to stop. Instead of respecting her wishes, McCartney forcibly restrained her, pushed her down, and continued the assault. She described being left in tears, overwhelmed by the trauma, while McCartney smirked in a manner that she would never forget. Her emotional testimony highlighted the coercive and violent nature of their relationship.

The third victim, an Alloa woman described as McCartney’s “on-off girlfriend,” was assaulted after a night out clubbing on September 18, 2021. She told the court that she had told him he was being too rough and begged him to stop, but he laughed at her pleas. When he refused to cease his actions, she managed to pull on her pyjamas, grab her phone, and flee the house in a state of hysteria. She called the police, who responded swiftly to her distress. Officers found her sitting on the pavement near her home, crying and rocking, initially unable to speak due to her emotional state. McCartney was arrested inside her house, where officers discovered him in her bed.

Following a comprehensive seven-day trial, the jury returned a verdict of guilty against McCartney, who resides in Crieff. The court found him responsible for raping all three women, with the first victim subjected to multiple assaults. The sentencing, which took place at the High Court in Lanark on Tuesday, August 1, reflects the gravity of his crimes and the impact on his victims. This case underscores the importance of justice for survivors of sexual violence and highlights the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to address such serious offences.