A high-risk sex offender who attacked women and children for more than three decades – and blamed one child for “seducing” him – has been handed a life sentence.

Kevin Scott was convicted of 10 offences, including violent assaults, rape, indecent communication and sexual activity with an older child he met online, abduction, and domestic abuse.

The 54-year-old’s catalogue of crimes occurred between 1985 and 2021 in the West Lothian, Clackmannanshire, and Dumfries and Galloway areas.

He was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh on Wednesday.

Lady Haldane said the crimes against his child victims were “particularly disturbing”.

The court heard Scott continues to deny any wrongdoing.

Referring to one young victim, Lady Haldane said to Scott: “You, of course, did not consider what happened between you to be abuse, as you regarded yourself as in a relationship with [the victim], although she was only a child at the time, and vulnerable in a number of respects.

“Indeed, you blamed her for seducing you.

“You are unable to recognise your grooming and abusive behaviour for what it really was, and this pattern emerges in your attitude to your other offending.”

The judge imposed an Order for Lifelong Restriction and ordered he must serve a six-and-a-half year prison sentence before being eligible to seek parole to be released on licence.

Scott has also been added to the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.

A Criminal Justice Social Work report concluded that Scott was a “high risk” to intimate partners and children.

Lady Haldane said: “Your profile is one of psychopathy driven by a traumatic childhood and anxiety.

“You demonstrate no insight into your behaviours or their effect on others.”

Read more:
Rapist condemned by judge for blaming female victims
Rapist jailed for decade-long campaign of violence against women, children and animals

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Following the court case, Detective Sergeant Lynn Morrison said Police Scotland was able to build a significant case against Scott thanks to the victims reporting his crimes.

DS Morrison added: “We commend the victims in coming forward and want to make it clear to anyone who has experienced sexual abuse that there is no time limit on when you can report these crimes.

“We will always conduct a thorough investigation, no matter how long ago the incidents occurred, and we will do all we can to bring perpetrators of such offences to justice.”

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