Scots singer in Westlife tribute band jailed for raping and abusing women

Scott Miller, 39, has been jailed for 11 years after being found guilty of serious violence and sexual abuse of women.

Scots singer in Westlife tribute band jailed for raping and abusing womenFacebook

A member of Scotland’s official Westlife tribute act has been jailed for raping and abusing women.

Scott Miller was found guilty of a total of eight charges – including the rape of two women – following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow.

The 39-year-old has been sentenced to 11 years in jail.

Miller had been part of Westlive – the popular tribute band of the famous Irish pop group – who recently supported Blue, Peter Andre and Scouting For Girls at a festival as they performed across the UK and also in Europe.

The singer, from Hamilton, Lanarkshire, had denied the charges spanning October 2012 to November 2021, mainly in North Lanarkshire.

Miller tormented the first victim by shouting and swearing at her, being threatening and mocking her.

He also accused her of infidelity, controlled who she could contact and damaged any phones she had.

Miller went on to become physically violent, which included choking the young woman, causing her to lose consciousness.

Jurors heard how he raped this victim at a hotel in Edinburgh and again at a property in North Lanarkshire.

The second woman also repeatedly suffered at Miller’s hands.

He raped her on a number of occasions while she was initially asleep.

He also left her hurt after chucking a bar stool at her, striking the woman on the head.

Like the earlier victim, Miller was verbally abusive to her.

Other acts of violence included him grabbing this woman and throwing her to the floor, hurling a bottle at her and pushing her, causing her to fall against a door.

As well as the jail term, Judge Andrew McIntyre also ordered Miller to be supervised for a further three years on his release.

He said the attacker’s attitude was “characterised as ongoing denial, minimisation and blame of others”.

Judge McIntyre stated: “Over a period of nine years, you engaged in a course of serious violence and sexual abuse of women.

“It is plain that it had a profound effect on the women that you targeted.

“That was evident from their evidence and the victim impact statements that they have submitted.

“It is clear it caused physical and enduring psychological harm.

“You continue to blame the women who you abused. They are not to blame – you are.”

After the sentencing, the latter of Miller’s victims told how she had been left traumatised by “a smear campaign waged against my name” prior to the trial.

The woman said: “I was called a liar. My character was dragged through the mud.

“Stories were told, opinions were formed and people, who had never lived a day in my shoes, were happy to believe the worst of me.

“I was painted as a psychopath – as someone who had made everything up.

“Imagine having to live through that abuse only to then have to fight to prove that it happened.

“I would not wish that on anyone.”

She added: “This was never about revenge. It was about accountability. It was about justice and finally having the truth recognised.”

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