Rapist jailed for 10-year-long abuse in Highland and Argyll & Bute
Alastair Nicolson was found guilty of a catalogue of offences following a trial at the High Court in Inverness.
A violent rapist has been jailed after assaulting and abusing three women and a child over the course of a decade.
Alastair Nicolson was found guilty of a catalogue of offences following a trial at the High Court in Inverness.
At the High Court in Edinburgh earlier today, he was jailed for 14 years.
The crimes took place between January 1991 and April 2001 in the Highland and Argyll and Bute areas.
The 55-year-old subjected one woman to repeated beatings.
He would pull her hair, punch her in the head, call her derogatory names and threaten her with a knife, hammer, and scissors.
The court also heard how he struck her on the body with a fire poker and a coal bucket before choking her.
Nicolson was also convicted of raping a woman on various occasions.
He was found to have used lewd, indecent, and libidinous practices and behaviour towards a young girl.
Nicolson then raped the child, who was under the age of 16.
The abuser violently assaulted a third female including seizing her by the neck and threatening to hit her.
His fourth victim was repeatedly punched and kicked.
He stubbed a cigarette out on her body, head butted her and slapped her on the face, all to her injury.
During a separate attack, Nicolson broke the woman’s tooth, caused her to fall to the ground, stamped on her head and threatened to kill her.
His name has been added to the sex offenders register indefinitely.
Non-harassment orders preventing Nicolson from contacting or attempting to contact three victims were also granted indefinitely.
Scotland’s Procurator Fiscal for High Court Sexual Offending, Katrina Parkes said: “Alastair Nicolson is a dangerous, controlling and violent individual who inflicted unimaginable trauma on the women he targeted.
“His prolific offending has now been ended thanks to the courage of his victims who reported him to the authorities.
“I hope this conviction brings them some comfort that he is being held accountable for his actions.
“I urge any victims of similar crime to have confidence that time is no barrier. Please come forward, report it and seek support.”