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A 'predatory and dangerous' sex offender has been jailed after being found guilty of a string of serious sexual offences against three women.

John Todd was convicted of the attacks, including rape, which took place in Perth, Angus and Fife over a five year period.

The 34-year-old has now been sentenced to five years and 10 months behind bars after appearing at the High Court in Edinburgh today.

In a statement, Police Scotland officers praised the bravery of Todd's victims who came forward.

They added that they hoped the verdict would go some way to helping them move forward with their lives.

Detective Sergeant Lauren ONeil of Fife Divisions Rape Investigation Unit said: Todd is a predatory and dangerous man who has committed a variety of serious crimes against a number of different women over a protracted period of time.

It is thanks to the courage of the women who came forward that he has been now been found guilty of his crimes and the cruelty of his behaviour has been exposed.

I would like to commend the women for their bravery throughout this investigation and court proceedings.

"Hopefully the verdict today will help them moving forward.

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A remorseless rapist who attacked an 83-year-old woman in her own home has been jailed.

Kyle McKenzie, 23, was sentenced to 11 years after admitting his crime but showing no contrition.

McKenzie attacked the woman after breaking into a property in Glenrothes, Fife, on June 25, 2020 and carried out what police described as a 'particularly brutal attack on a vulnerable woman' in her own home.

He pleaded guilty on November 16 and was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh today.

Senior investigating officer DI Darren Stewart said: 'Kyle McKenzie is clearly a very dangerous, opportunistic individual.

'He carried out particularly brutal attack on a vulnerable woman, submitting her to a harrowing ordeal in the one place in the world she should have been safest, her own home.

'He showed no contrition for his reprehensible behaviour when he was charged.

'However, he will now face the consequences of his actions having admitted his guilt.

'A large scale police investigation was carried out following this incident which ultimately identified McKenzie as being the individual responsible.

'I want to take the opportunity to thank the public and partner agencies for their assistance and information provided, particularly in providing support to the woman involved.

'Police Scotland treats all reports of sexual crime with the utmost professionalism and sensitivity in order to bring perpetrators of such crimes such as Kyle McKenzie to justice.'

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A sex attacker who raped a vulnerable teenager before committing a further rape on another victim has been jailed for seven years.

Andrew Brannan assaulted his first victim after the 16-year-old had been drinking in 2003.

He pretended to her mum that he would sober her up but raped her at a house in Buckhaven, Fife.

The 41-year-old struck again four years later when he attacked another woman, aged 21, at a house in Methil, Fife, when she was asleep.

A judge told him at the High Court in Edinburgh: “On her evidence you acknowledged the next morning that you had done wrong.”

Lord Braid said the offence was aggravated by Brannan telling the victim that there was no point going to the police because she would not be believed.

Brannan had earlier denied raping the teenager between May and July in 2003 and assaulting and raping the second woman between April 23 and May 31 in 2007 but was found guilty of both offences.

The court heard that he continued to deny the charges a jury convicted him of committing.

Defence solicitor advocate Iain Paterson said: “He is entitled to maintain his innocence as he has done.”

He said the dad-of-three was assessed as posing low risk of similar offending.

The court heard that Brannan, who was earlier remanded in custody, has not previously served a jail sentence 

Lord Braid told Brannan that following the sentencing he would be placed on the sex offenders’ register for an indefinite period.

Detective Constable Kenny Watt said: “The young women who agreed to testify against him have shown enormous courage from the time of being approached by the police to having to give evidence in court and their actions means Brannan will now face the consequences of his actions.

“We hope this outcome will help them and their families to move forward.

“I hope the bravery shown by the victim will encourage others who have suffered to come forward. 

“We will thoroughly investigate all reports of sexual offences to bring perpetrators of these crimes to justice.”

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A PROLIFIC sex predator has been jailed for 10 years for the "utterly appalling" abuse of two victims he subjected to repeated rape ordeals. David Ferguson, 67, preyed on one victim when she was a teenager and subjected the other to sex assaults as a child. Ferguson, who was first convicted of a sex crime in 1973, is currently serving another 10-year sentence jail imposed on him in 2015 for similar offences. A judge told him at the High Court in Edinburgh: "You have been convicted following trial of four charges of the sexual abuse of two women." Lord Richardson said both victims had been subjected to "sustained abuse" by the rapist. The judge said: "It is difficult to find words to describe the utterly appalling nature of what you have done." He said it was clear from victim impact statements prepared by the women that Ferguson's crimes had "a profound impact" on them. The judge told Ferguson that in sentencing him, he took into account his age and mental and physical health problems. Lord Richardson said it was apparent to him that Ferguson was not in good health and had mobility difficulties. But he told Ferguson: "However, a lengthy period in custody is the only appropriate sentence I can impose on you to reflect your appalling conduct." The judge told him his latest 10-year prison term would begin from when his trial ended. During the trial, Ferguson had denied a string of charges but was found guilty of four offences three of rape and one of attempted murder committed between October 1988 and August 2010 in Fife. The first rape occurred at a house in Ballingry when he attacked a victim who was asleep when he began raping her and continued with the sex assault when she woke up. He subsequently attacked and molested the woman again at a property in Cowdenbeath. Ferguson attacked his second victim when she was aged six or seven at a house in Cowdenbeath when he tried to rape the child. He later went on to subject her to rape attacks committed in Cowdenbeath and Crossgates. One victim told the court that he had made her feel "scared" as a child. Ferguson was placed on the sex offenders' register indefinitely. Detectives from Police Scotlands Public Protection Unit in Fife carried out the investigation into Ferguson and reported him to the procurator fiscal in February 2019. Detective Sergeant Graeme Dursley said: Ferguson subjected his victims to sustained violent abuse over the years and his sentencing sends a clear message that anyone found to be involved in this type of behaviour will be brought to justice. I would like to thank his victims for their assistance during our inquiry. It is very difficult to speak about these types of crimes and they have showed immense courage during this investigation. "My thoughts remain with the victims and their families, and I hope that Fergusons sentencing can bring them some solace in that the person responsible for these despicable actions has been held to account, and they can now move forward with their lives. Police Scotland is resolutely committed to supporting victims of sexual crimes and investigating those responsible by bringing them to justice, no matter how much time has passed. I urge people to come forward to police and report it. They can be assured of being fully supported by officers and partner agencies.