A man who once attempted to murder the mother of his children repeatedly raped a woman and threatened to “destroy her life” during a horrifying campaign of psychological abuse.
Steven McKee, 49, sexually assaulted the 34-year-old on various occasions between June 2019 and October 2019 at locations in St Andrews and Glasgow.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard how the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had sex with McKee.
However, he blackmailed her into having sex with him by threatening to disclose intimate pictures and videos to her partner, friends and family.
He also threatened to commit suicide if she stopped seeing him, saying his life would not be worth living without her.
McKee also bombarded her with phone calls and text messages, subjecting her to verbal abuse.
He contacted the woman’s partner to tell him they were having a relationship.
Threat to ‘destroy’ victim’s life
The court heard McKee told the woman if she did not give him sex, he would “destroy her life.”
But his victim contacted police and McKee, originally of Slamannan, Falkirk, was found guilty by jurors of rape and psychological abuse.
Following the verdicts, prosecutor Eric Robertson told the judge McKee had a previous conviction for attempting to murder his then-partner Lisa Whyte, 32, in 2011.
Lady Poole remanded McKee in custody and deferred sentence for the court to obtain reports.
However, she warned him to expect a lengthy prison sentence when he is sentenced next month.
Placing him on the Sex Offenders Register, Lady Poole said: “These are obviously extremely serious offences and you should expect nothing more than a significant period of custody.”
Tried to kill former partner
In 2011, McKee was given a 10-year prison term for stabbing his ex-fiancee at their home near Falkirk.
Lisa Whyte was treated for serious injuries to her neck after the attack in July 2010.
During proceedings at the High Court in Glasgow, jurors heard how McKee was “devastated” when Ms Whyte called off their wedding a week before the ceremony was due to take place.
He stabbed her at their home in Falkirk after telling her: “If I can’t have you, nobody will.”
Miss Whyte fled to a neighbour’s house with a seven-inch blade still sticking out of her neck.
McKee was released on licence but returned to preying on women.
Survivor gives evidence
The survivor of his abuse told jurors about her ordeal.
In one text message, she pleaded to be left alone.
She wrote: “Please just stop all of this. It’s doing no one any good.”
She told the court: “He just wouldn’t leave me alone.”
She said: “I was just hoping that once he had said what he had to say that would be it and he would leave me alone.”
She said McKee said “loads of nasty things” and called her “a cow”.
At one stage she told him in a message: “You are actually scaring me that you can’t leave me alone.”
Remanded
Giving evidence, McKee, who was on remand at Perth Prison, told the court he had consensual sex with the woman.
He said: “She was a pretty girl. She is still a pretty girl.”
In his closing speech, Mr Robertson said: “There is no realistic possibility that consent had been given to sexual intercourse.”
Lady Poole remanded McKee in custody and ordered a risk assessment report on him.
