A vicious rapist from Carnoustie has been handed a life sentence.
Scott Gall was found guilty of rape, sexual coercion, fireraising and life-endangering assaults in January 2023.
Nearly a year later, at the High Court in Aberdeen, the former soldier was given an order for lifelong restriction (OLR), with a minimum seven years behind bars before he can apply for parole.
He will be subject to risk management for the rest of his life.
Cruel sexual abuse
Gall was convicted of nine charges after an eight-day trial at the High Court in Dundee.
A jury unanimously agreed he raped a woman on various occasions over a nine-year period.
He was also convicted of coercing the woman into sexual activity with other men.
On one occasion she was coerced into meeting men – who still remain unknown – at Aberdeen Central Travelodge with the intention of having sex with them, as Gall watched.
The men were encouraged by the onlooking Gall to sexually touch the woman while she was intoxicated, unconscious and unable to consent.
Over eight years, the woman was subjected to more abuse.
She was coerced by Gall into exchanging sexual messages and sending sexual images and to meet with more than eight men for sex in his presence.
The catalogue of abuse happened at multiple locations, including Monikie Park, Monifieth Premier Inn, the Broxden Travelodge in Perth, Jolly’s Hotel in Broughty Ferry and Camperdown Park.
‘Cruel, inhuman and monstrous’
Sentencing judge Lady Drummond said he caused “physical and psychological harm” to victims who “continue to suffer profoundly from the trauma you inflicted upon them”.
She called it “cruel, inhuman and monstrous behaviour”.
“You have shown no remorse and have blamed your victims,” she added.
Fireraising
On November 26 2019, Gall set fire to a house in Rose Street, Carnoustie, after barging in and assaulting the 65-year-old woman who lived there, who has since died.
He poured petrol over a carpet and ignited it, causing the house to catch fire.
Jurors did not agree with the prosecution that this was attempted murder.
While still on Rose Street that night, Gall put another woman’s life in danger by hurling a hammer at her, a majority of jurors agreed.
He had also repeatedly assaulted another woman in the town between 2002 and 2004.
Carnoustie rapist’s lifelong order explained
Defence counsel Iain Paterson told the court: “His hope is, at some point when he’s released, he can get back to his employment as a long-distance lorry driver and be able to save some funds for his retirement.”
He said his client had experienced “childhood trauma” and was in the army from age 16 to 25 and also had “various traumatic experiences as a result of that”.
“His hope is that he’s not going to get into any form of trouble ever again,” he said.
Lady Drummond stressed the OLR is not just a sentence of seven years in prison.
“You will not be eligible to apply for parole until after seven years.
“You will be released only when the parole board is satisfied it’s no longer necessary for the protection of the public that you be confined in prison.”
She placed Gall on the Sex Offenders Register for an indefinite period and imposed non-harassment orders to protect his victims.
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