A high risk serial rapist from Fife who blighted the lives of victims during two and a half decades of abuse was given a life sentence.
Gavin McKay, 44, was aged just 16 when he began subjecting females to damaging, violent and controlling behaviour.
A judge imposed an Order for Lifelong Restriction on unrepentant McKay, who claimed he had been “set up” by victims who “told lies” about him.
He continued to claim he was innocent.
At the High Court in Edinburgh Lord Scott ordered McKay must serve a minimum term of six years imprisonment – the punishment portion of his sentence – before he becomes eligible to apply for release.
He told McKay: “This does not mean you will be released after that six-year period.
The sentence is an Order for Lifelong Restriction, which is a life sentence.”
Lord Scott said: “Unless you work to reduce your risk you may never be released.”
Any future decision to allow McKay to be freed from jail will be taken by the parole authorities.
On Register indefinitely
Lord Scott told McKay, who followed the sentencing proceedings via a video link to jail, he had read statements from three of his victims which confirmed “the serious, continuing and likely lasting consequences of your conduct.”
The judge said as well as physically violating women, McKay behaved in a controlling and coercive way towards his victims, including using threats of suicide and self-harm to get his own way.
McKay, formerly of Balsusney Road, Kirkcaldy, had denied a series of charges during an earlier trial but was found guilty of 20 crimes including eight offences of rape.
The catalogue of crime was committed against four women between 1995 and 2020 at addresses in his home town and at other locations in Fife including Glenrothes, Burntisland and Leven.
The judge had earlier called for a full risk assessment to be carried out on McKay following his conviction, which concluded that he presented a high risk towards the public.
Defence solicitor advocate Gordon Martin said his client suffered adverse childhood experiences and tried to deal with his background by “taking drugs, driving cars too quickly and self harming”.
McKay was placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.
Vile crimes
McKay sexually assaulted one woman with a television remote control and repeatedly hit her with a belt during rapes.
The victim was also subjected to repeated violence, including pulling her hair, seizing her by the face and wrists and throttling her.
A second woman was handcuffed and locked in a room as she was assaulted and raped by the relentless offender.
He also threatened to upload intimate images of the woman onto social media.
He also made threats to steal her dog.
A third woman was sexually assaulted, raped and subjected to violence when she was pushed, punched, slapped and kicked.
McKay also repeatedly struck her in the face with a mobile phone and hit her on the head with a curtain pole.
A fourth woman was subjected to a four-year stalking campaign, during which he repeatedly turned up at her workplace and home and called and sent her text messages.
He threatened to end his own life.
For more local court content visit our dedicated page, or join us on Facebook.
