Rapist has prison sentence increased after Crown appeal

A man who raped two women and indecently assaulted a third has had his prison sentence increased following a successful appeal by the Crown.

Anthony Plaskett struck twice on the same day when he sexually assaulted one victim in Hawick and raped a second woman at another house in the Borders town in April 2021.

Plaskett, 38, molested and raped another woman at an address in Bo’ness, in West Lothian, a year earlier.

He was given a five-year prison term in January 2024 which prosecutors argued was unduly lenient.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) asked the Appeal Court to consider imposing a longer custodial term due to the overall seriousness of the offending involved.

In a decision published by Lord Justice Clerk Lady Dorrian, Plaskett’s original prison term was quashed and replaced with an eight-year sentence.

“Unduly lenient sentence appeals are not common but are important to ensure the public interest is properly served by asking the court to examine again sentences which appear to the Crown to fall outside of the range of punishment reasonably considered appropriate,” said Kenny Donnelly, deputy Crown agent for COPFS.

“The Crown believes that it is important that the harm caused by sexual offending, and the culpability of the convicted person, is consistently reflected in sentencing decisions.”

Plaskett was found guilty of three charges in December 2023 following a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh.