Perth rapist preyed on pregnant victims

A SEX attacker who raped three women – two of them while they were pregnant – has been jailed for 12 years.

Glasgow High Court. Picture: John Devlin

David McLeish, 49, from Perth, began sexually abusing one of the victims when she was just nine years old.

McLeish, who carried out a catalogue of sexual and physical abuse over a 13-year period, was branded a danger by judge John Beckett QC and ordered to be monitored in the community for six years after his release from prison.

At the High Court in Glasgow yesterday, Judge Beckett told McLeish: “You pursued a campaign of sexual abuse and violence for 13 years. You used guile, manipulation, threats and bullying.”

The court heard that one girl was repeatedly raped from the ages of nine to 16, on one occasion while she was pregnant.

McLeish also raped two other woman, one of them while she was also pregnant.

Judge Beckett told McLeish his conduct had been “violent and abusive” and said: “You have shown no remorse.”

He added: “Seven childhoods were blighted by what you did.”

McLeish maintained throughout that he was innocent.

But he was convicted of rape, sexual assault and assault charges following a two-week trial.

His victims, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, were aged between four and 43.

Unemployed McLeish’s campaign of abuse took place at various addresses in Perthshire over 13 years between September 1996 and December 2009.

During his sickening course of conduct, McLeish raped three women and battered children with belts and slippers.

He was finally brought to justice after his victims plucked up enough courage to contact the police.

He began sexually abusing his first victim at a house in Perth in 1996 when she was nine.

He then repeatedly assaulted and raped her on numerous occasions. On one occasion between 2003 and 2004, McLeish raped her when she was pregnant.

In 2000, McLeish raped another pregnant woman.

The woman, who is now 43, told how McLeish raped her in her own home.

She said: “I was saying, ‘No I don’t want anything’.

“I kept saying ‘No’. He wasn’t really listening. I was scared. I felt really disgusted.

“I told him that I didn’t want sex. I told him that he forced me to do that. I told him to just go.”

In 2009, McLeish raped another 43-year-old woman.

McLeish was also convicted of physically abusing three young boy and girls.

Defence counsel Lucy Keane told the court that McLeish continued to protest his innocence.