Rapist jailed for 'utterly appalling' abuse of two women

A sex predator has been jailed for ten years for the “utterly appalling” abuse of two victims he subjected to repeated rape ordeals.

David Ferguson preyed on one victim when she was a teenager and subjected the other to sex assaults as a child.

The 67-year-old, who was first convicted of a sex crime in 1973, is currently serving another ten-year sentence jail imposed on him in 2015 for similar offences.

A judge told him at the High Court in Edinburgh: “You have been convicted following trial of four charges of the sexual abuse of two women.”

Lord Richardson said both victims had been subjected to “sustained abuse” by the rapist.

The judge said: “It is difficult to find words to describe the utterly appalling nature of what you have done.”

He said it was clear from victim impact statements prepared by the women that Ferguson’s crimes have had “a profound impact” on them,

The judge told Ferguson that in sentencing him he took into account his age and mental and physical health problems.

Lord Richardson said it was apparent to him that Ferguson was not in good health and has mobility difficulties.

But he told Ferguson: “However, a lengthy period in custody is the only appropriate sentence I can impose on you to reflect your appalling conduct.”

The judge told him his latest ten year prison term would begin from Thursday when his trial ended.

During the trial Ferguson had denied a string of charges but was found guilty of four offences – three of rape and one of attempted murder committed between October 1988 and August 2010 in Fife.

The first rape occured at a house in Ballingry when he attacked a victim who was asleep when he began raping her and continued with the sex assault when she woke up. He subsequently attacked and molested the woman again at a property in Cowdenbeath.

Ferguson attacked his second victim when she was aged six or seven at a house in Cowdenbeath when he tried to rape the child.

He later went on to subject her to rape attacks committed in Cowdenbeath and Crossgates.

One victim told the court that he had made her feel “scared” as a child.

Ferguson was placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.