Prosecutors and detectives have welcomed the sentencing of a Dundee man who raped four women and assaulted two others over a 13 year period.
Derek Duncan was convicted of 17 offences against the six women, including two charges of assault to injury and danger of life, following a trial at the High Court in Dundee in September.
The 32-year-old carried out the attacks at addresses across Dundee between November 2007 and July 2020.
He abducted one woman by locking her in his home, kicking and punching her, then seizing her by the throat causing her to lose consciousness.
The court heard Duncan grabbed another by her hair, shook her and struck her head on a mirror.
He took indecent images of another without her knowledge.
Duncan was also convicted of raping four women.
At the High Court in Livingston today, he was jailed for 10 years.
Procurator Fiscal for High Court Sexual Offences Fraser Gibson said: “Thanks to the courage and composure of his victims, Derek Duncan is now facing justice for his brutal crimes.
“While his actions are likely to have a lasting impact on their lives, I hope the sentence imposed goes some way towards providing resolution for them.
“The Crown is committed to the effective prosecution of sexual offences and today’s outcome follows many months of thorough and sensitive work by police and our expert prosecutors.
“I would urge anyone who has been the victim of similar offending to come forward and seek support.”
Police in Tayside opened an investigation into Duncan in April last year when the extent of his violent behaviour became clear.
Detective Inspector Gordon Patullo said: “This was a protracted and complex investigation by a small team of dedicated officers, working closely with a number of other partner agencies to ensure that justice was done and that the victims were suitably supported.
"It is clear that Derek Duncan is an extremely violent and controlling man, who will now face the consequences of his appalling acts of abuse.
“I would like to take this opportunity to praise the victims for their bravery in coming forward and assisting our investigation. I hope that this sentencing today provides them with a measure of closure and goes some way to giving other victims of abuse the courage to speak out.
“Domestic abuse, in all its forms, has no place in our society and tackling remains one of Police Scotland’s top priorities.
“If you are experiencing abuse, we want you to know that you are not alone. We encourage you to contact police or seek support and advice from one of our partner agencies, such as Women’s Aid. Together, we can support you through those next steps.”
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