Risk assessment ordered on Helensburgh rapist

A Judge today has ordered a risk assessment of the danger an off-shore worker, who carried out a campaign of terror against six lovers, poses to women.

Lord Beckett told Ben Slee , 30, from Helensburgh, that he was considering whether an order for lifelong restriction should be imposed.

He added: “It appears to me there is a likelihood that, if at liberty, you may pose a physical or psychological risk to the well-being of members of the public..”

Slee was convicted at the High Court in Glasgow last month of a catalogue of abuse against the women. He raped one of his victims and attempted to rape another

Four of the women were the victims of beatings and sex attacks as Slee often flew into jealous rages.

Two other lovers were only physically assaulted. One had the contents of a ice bucket thrown over her in the Grand Central Hotel, Glasgow and another woman was slapped and kicked in a house in Helensburgh.

The offences were committed between 2002 and 2015 at various locations in Helensburgh, Garelochhead, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Defence QC Ian Duguid argued that Slee should be sentenced without the need for a risk assessment.

Mr Duguid said that Slee had “expressed a willingness” to take part in programmes in prison designed to deal with his problems

He added: “He has been in a relationship and his partner gave birth yesterday (Tues). He has a supportive family.

“He was able to hold down employment at his father's business and then off-shore.”

During his trial the jury heard that Slee was angered because one of his partners paid more attention to her cancer-stricken sister more attention than him.

Slee also controlled another woman's Facebook account - despite working in the North Sea at the time.

A jury further heard how he laughed as he tried to drown another girlfriend in a bath.

In court, Slee - who once boasted he could pull "model material" - claimed he was the victim and that the women's lies had ruined his life.

But, the jury convicted him of raping one woman and attempting to rape another as well as a catalogue of domestic abuse. Charges of raping two other women were found not proven.

One victim, aged 32, told of how Slee came into the bathroom when she was having a bath and pulled her head under the water.

She said: “I was really scared. I couldn't breathe and he was laughing. He said : 'That was brilliant. You should see your face. I could have killed you. I was petrified.”

The woman added: “He would have nice days, but it didn't last long.”

The woman spoke of how the slightest thing could set him off and added: “fI elt degraded. I was in a relationship where he could do what he wanted. On a few occasions I would wake up and he was having sex with me. He made out it was a laugh or a joke.

Another victim, a 29-year-old mother-of-two, said of Slee: “He was so manipulative. He would do something awful and then would cry and say he was sorry and it would never happen again.”

The woman said being with Slee was “like walking on eggshells” and added: “If my eyes even looked in the direction of another man he would be so aggressive.”

On one occasion in 2004 in a house in Helensburgh he attacked her causing excruciating pain. She said: “I was screaming. He just ignored me. The look in his eyes was pure evil.

“I can't believe I stayed with him . I can't believe I put myself through that for so long. It was effectively torture. He enjoyed the power and the control.”

The woman said that Slee's jealousy and anger turned a dream holiday in Turkey into a nightmare. He would not even let her wear a bikini.

A 27-year-old victim said: 'There was constant mental abuse. He called me names he called me ugly and fat and said I would never be anything without him

His fourth victim, who Slee tried to rape, told of how her took her to a luxury hotel for a belated Valentine's day Slee took the 29-year-old woman to Tigerlily Hotel in Edinburgh and no expense was spared. He booked a suite, asked for the bed to be strewn with rose petals and for champagne to be put on ice.

She said: “It should have been fantastic, but he took it away because he was in such as bad mood.”

The woman told the court that Slee's became angry on the train to Edinburgh when some men sat down beside them. She added: “He started staring and growling at me.”

As they sat eating dinner in Tigerlily, Slee kept accused her of looking at other men and later in the bar when she spoke to a club owner he became extremely angry.

The woman said: “He made me feel horrendous, because I hadn't done anything wrong.”

She told prosecutor Kath Harper: “I was scared. He was so angry. He was scary angry. He said: 'You're embarrassing me. You love being around other men. I paid for this and you're speaking to other people'

“He was right up in my face shouting: 'I can get model material, look at the state of you.'”

Slee then shoved her into the corridor outside their room. She added: “I was contemplating going down to reception when he opened the door and said he was sorry and he said: 'Why do you make me so angry.'

Slee then pushed her against the bath, she slipped and as she lay on the ground he kicked her with full force on the leg causing it to bruise.

The woman added: “I remember he would kind of stand and laugh and say 'You're pathetic, you're nothing.'”

She told the court that Slee threatened to pour acid in her face or petrol bomb her parents' home and car if she went to the police about him.

In evidence Slee claimed all his victim's were lying and had "ruined his life".

He said "They have ruined my life, they have done it, they have done what they wanted."

Slee denied calling his victims insulting names including "slut" and "ugly" and telling them " you're worthless" and said he has respect for women.

An order for lifelong restriction imposes lifelong supervision on high risk violent and sexual offenders and allows for a greater degree of intensive supervision to manage the risk that they pose.

Sentence was deferred until December 23 at the High Court in Glasgow.

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