WILLIAM FENTON'S SHOCKING CRIMES IN AYR AND BANGOR: SERIAL DRUG RAPIST JAILED FOR LIFE

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the communities of Ayr and Bangor, William Fenton, a man with a disturbing history of sexual offenses, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for a series of heinous crimes committed after he moved to Scotland. The 55-year-old was convicted of drugging and raping one woman, as well as sexually assaulting three others, all of whom were rendered unconscious due to the administration of stupefying substances.

The crimes took place at Fenton’s residence in Ayr between June 2011 and April of the following year. The severity of his actions and the nature of the offenses prompted a stern response from the court, which ordered that Fenton serve a minimum of six years before he becomes eligible for parole. However, the judge emphasized that this does not guarantee release, as any decision to free him would depend on the parole board’s assessment of the risk he poses to the public.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that Fenton’s criminal history dates back to 2000, when he was initially jailed in Northern Ireland for drug-related sexual assaults. It was during this period that he was believed to have committed the first known case of drug rape in the UK, involving a 17-year-old girl who was repeatedly raped over a 30-hour ordeal in Bangor. Fenton was convicted of this attack and sentenced to 12 years in prison. After serving half of his sentence, he relocated to Scotland, where he was later re-incarcerated in 2013 following new convictions.

Lord Burns, presiding over the case, described Fenton’s crimes as particularly serious and comparable to his previous convictions. He pointed out that Fenton had a history of assaulting young girls and women, and that his 2000 convictions included rape and indecent assault after administering a drug to his victims. The judge highlighted the high risk Fenton poses to the community, especially to females, and labeled him a clear danger.

During the sentencing, Lord Burns stated, “You were convicted in May of this year of the rape of one complainer and the sexual assaults of three others having given them some substance which rendered them unconscious.” He further explained that Fenton’s past convictions and the nature of his latest crimes warranted a lifelong restriction order, with a minimum term of six years to serve in prison.

Fenton, who was known to his victims as Billy or Irish Billy, denied the charges during his trial at the High Court in Glasgow earlier this year. The court heard that all four victims lost consciousness after being given alcohol laced with drugs. One woman was subjected to physical assault while unconscious, with her stomach and back rubbed with baby oil. Another was kissed and touched on her clothed breasts, with repeated attempts made to part her legs. A third woman was raped while unable to consent, and a fourth was filmed naked while Fenton touched her breasts. The court’s findings underscore the disturbing pattern of his predatory behavior and the grave danger he continues to pose to society.