Serial abuser hit woman with piece of wood, pointed a gun at her and lifted her up by her ears

A serial abuser who hit a woman with a piece of wood, pointed a gun at her and lifted her up by ears has been jailed for 10 years.

George McDonald, 43, was branded “dangerous” by a top prosecutor for his controlling, violent and sexually abusive behaviour.

A court heard how he prayed on three women over the course of more than two decades.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) said McDonald subjected his first victim to repeated violent attacks – which included striking her with a piece of wood, aiming a gun at her, and picking her up by her ears.

He also struggled with the woman outside a pub before opening the bonnet of her car and removing wires from the engine, preventing her from driving away.

A second woman was verbally and physically abused on various occasions, which included an incident when McDonald drove away leaving her without transport.

He then controlled a third woman by tracking her movements, breaking her phones, reading her messages, and coercing her to share her social media accounts.

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McDonald was said to have made threats to kill both her and her parents, and repeatedly assaulted her, including hitting her on the head and dragging her to the ground.

McDonald was also found to have raped two of the women on various occasions.

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COPFS said the abuse took place across Argyll and Bute between July 1998 and September 2021.

McDonald was in July found guilty of 10 charges following a trial at the High Court in Paisley.

His crimes included three assaults to injury, two rapes, multiple sexual assaults, and threatening or abusive behaviour.

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At the High Court in Edinburgh on Thursday, McDonald was handed a 14-year extended sentence, with 10 years in jail and four years on licence once released back into the community.

He has also been added to the sex offenders’ register indefinitely and banned from contacting his victims.

Katrina Parkes, Scotland’s procurator fiscal for high court sexual offending, said: “George McDonald is a dangerous individual who subjected his victims to unimaginable trauma and abuse over a number of years.

“It is thanks to the bravery of these women giving evidence that this prosecution has been possible.

“I hope this conviction brings some comfort while sending a message that this type of offending has no place in Scotland.”

Detective Inspector Cheryl Gebbie also praised the strength of the victims in reporting McDonald’s crimes.

She added: “McDonald was an abusive individual and it’s difficult to comprehend the distress and suffering he caused the women in this case.

“McDonald will now face the consequences of his actions.”

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