Kim Avis: Rapist who faked own death to avoid trial is found guilty

Kim Avis was convicted of 14 charges after a two-week trial at the High Court in Glasgow.

He preyed on two girls and two women between 2006 and 2017 mainly in Inverness including at his property called Wolves Den.

Avis - also a well known busker in the city - should have originally stood trial in March 2019.

But, the 57 year-old had instead fled to America where he was then reported missing by his son.

He was said to have last been seen going for a swim at Monastery Beach in Carmel, California.

The fugitive was eventually caught 1,300 miles away in Colorado where he was tracked down to a motel after a police stake-out in July 2019.

Avis was taken back to Scotland and now faces a lengthy jail-term when he is sentenced next month.

The crimes included raping three of the victims, also attempting to rape one of the trio and sexually assaulting the fourth.

He was further convicted of failing to appear for the previous trial.

Lord Sandison adjourned sentencing until June 11 in Edinburgh.

As he was lead handcuffed to the cells, Avis stated: "This is a tragedy for truth and justice."

The victims testified against Avis, who moaned the accusations were like "reading from a film script".

One - just 12 when Avis first struck - described him being in a "trance" during a sex attack.

The victim - now aged 22 - recalled: "I remember telling him to snap out of it while trying to look at him - but there was absolutely nothing there."

Avis - who later raped the victim in a separate incident - told the victim there was "something wrong" with him.

The two women Avis abused had been in relationships with him.

Both were also raped.

One denied "chucking mud" at Avis in a bid to blacken his name.

The woman sobbed as she told jurors: "I am just giving my story."

She said her abuser had even made false accusations against her on social media - but denied wanting "vengeance".

The final victim - now 21 - was also aged around 12 when Avis first targeted her.

Avis was held after police were alerted in 2017. He gave evidence during the trial and suggested some of the victims were motivated by money.

Quizzed about the allegations, he insisted: "It is like reading a film script. It is untrue. It is disgusting."

Avis was placed on the sex offenders list.