A persistent sex offender who preyed on vulnerable females during two decades of abuse has been jailed for 12 years.
Hugh Derby targeted three of his victims when they were asleep and under the influence at the time of his sex attacks.
The 52-year-old took part in the gang rape of a 15-year-old girl at a flat in Main Street, in Auchinleck, in East Ayrshire, after she was intoxicated with drink and drugs.
A judge told Derby at the High Court in Edinburgh: “You have been convicted by the jury of grave and serious charges.”
Derby, formerly of Auchinleck, had denied a series of charges during an earlier trial but was convicted of four offences of sexual assault, one of sexual activity towards an underage girl and one of indecent assault and rape.
He claimed that some victims had consented and that on other occasions the offences did not take place at all.
But judge Thomas Welsh KC said jurors had disbelieved Derby’s version of events in his evidence.
The judge pointed out that three of those subjected to abuse by Derby were asleep or incapacitated at the time.
He said: “You clearly acted in a premeditated and predatory manner, identifying and isolating your victims when they were most vulnerable and unable to resist your approaches.”
The judge told Derby that in addition to the 12-year jail sentence he was ordering that he should be monitored for a further three-year period.
During that time he will be subject to supervision by police and local authority officers and can be returned to prison if he breaches licence conditions.
In 2013, he sexually assaulted a 12-year-old child and molested the girl again when she was aged 15 at a Calvin Harris concert at Bellahouston park in Glasgow in August 2015.
His final victim was subjected to a sexual assault at an address in Auchinleck in 2019.
Defence counsel Ian Duguid KC said it was “inevitable” that Derby would face a prison sentence following his convictions.
He said Derby has no record for sexual offending, although he has previous convictions for assault.
The defence counsel said: “He does intend to engage, as he may be required to do, in addressing his offending behaviour.”
Derby was told he would be placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely following his sentencing.
Follow STV News on WhatsApp
Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
