A judge told Blairgowrie man Clifford Hodgkins, convicted of subjecting a woman to violent physical and sexual assaults, he will receive “significant” prison time for his crimes.
Lord Scott told Hodgkins, 42, he will get jail time for abusing the woman over a 19-month period at locations in his home town.
The judge made the remarks at the High Court in Edinburgh after jurors found Hodgkins, currently a prisoner of HMP Grampian, guilty of offences committed between September 2020 and April 2022.
Lord Scott had heard how Hodgkins had a “lengthy” record of previous convictions and had served “several” custodial terms.
The judge told the accused he was deferring sentence to obtain a report which would detail whether he posed harm to the general public.
He said: “Having seen your schedule of previous convictions the question of risk that you pose to the public is a real one.
“You should be in no doubt that these offences to which you have been convicted of will result in a significant custodial sentence.”
Sentencing deferred
During proceedings, the jury heard evidence of how Hodgkins had sex without his victim’s consent and would seize her by the hair.
He also struck her on her head and body and brandished a screwdriver while shouting and swearing at the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons.
Hodgkins denied any wrongdoing and stood trial at the high court but jurors found him guilty of an abusive course of conduct and sexual assault at the end of his trial.
On Thursday, defence advocate Gillian Ross told Lord Scott her client’s previous offending was for non-analogous matters.
She said: “This is his first conviction of a sexual nature.”
Ms Ross said she would reserve mitigation until the sentencing hearing on May 1..
Hodgkins was remanded in custody and placed on the Sex Offenders Register.
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