Rapist who threatened to kill his victim and pet cat jailed for eight years

A rapist who threatened to kill his victim and a pet cat has been jailed for eight years after committing a catalogue of physical and sexual abuse against women.

A judge told John Simpson at the High Court in Edinburgh that only “a substantial prison sentence” was appropriate for the sexual offences he carried out.

Judge John Morris KC said it was hoped that the 33-year-old would take advantage of the help available to him in prison to address his mental health problems.

Simpson, formerly of Perth, had denied a series of charges during an earlier trial, but he was found guilty of subjecting a woman to repeated rapes.

The sex attacks occurred at an address in Glenrothes, Fife, between March 2020 and June the following year. Simpson grabbed the victim by the body and pinned her down before subjecting her to rape.

Simpson went on to commit a further sex attack on another woman on February 25, 2023, at a location near St Paul’s Church in Perth, when he committed a sexual assault against the victim.

His course of abusive conduct towards women began in 2015 when he brought knives to the home of another woman in Dundee and threatened her and others.

Simpson also shouted and swore at the victim, called her derogatory names, repeatedly contacted her and turned up at her house and entered the property without permission.

He also perpetrated abuse against the woman he repeatedly raped. He sharpened knives in her presence and threatened her and others with them.

Simpson threatened to kill her, swore at her and called her names. He also threw a pet cat and threatened to kill the animal during the abuse between March 2020 and July 2021 at addresses in Glenrothes.

Defence counsel David Taylor said Simpson still maintained his position of denial over the offending.

He said Simpson regarded a recent relationship as having a stabilising effect on his life, and he has addressed substance abuse issues and described himself as “completely clean”.

Mr Taylor said Simpson experienced a “tragic childhood” and added: “He has, what might be described as, the full house of childhood adverse experiences.”

The defence counsel said that Simpson demonstrated lots of potential at school but failed to make progress because of exclusions. He said: “He has no history of training and employment.”

Simpson was placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely, and the judge made non harassment orders prohibiting him from contacting or attempting to contact victims.