An Angus rapist has been convicted of encouraging other men to perform sex acts on his victim while she was unconscious.
Scott Gall, 52, was convicted of nine charges, including setting fire to a house in Carnoustie, after an eight-day trial at the High Court in Dundee.
A jury of seven men and eight women unanimously agreed he raped a woman on various occasions over a nine-year period.
Gall was also convicted of coercing the woman into sexual activity with other men.
He was later charged with attempted murder after barging into a house in Carnoustie, assaulting the homeowner and torching the property.
Sick Gall watched sex
The court heard that nearly a decade ago, Gall, of Carnoustie, began coercing the woman into sexual activity to which she did not consent.
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 the next few 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.
On some occasions, Gall recorded the sexual activity or had it recorded on his behalf.
All of this was achieved through the use of fear and intimidation, meaning it was not consensual.
Jurors agreed unanimously Gall raped the woman himself on various occasions.
Torched Angus house
Around two months after his abuse of the woman ended, Gall set fire to a house in Carnoustie.
On November 26 2019, he arrived at the Rose Street property uninvited and grabbed the 65-year-old woman who lived there and has since died, by the neck.
He struggled with her and spilt petrol from a plastic can on her arm.
Gall poured petrol over a carpet inside and ignited the fuel, causing the house to catch fire.
Smoke spread through the property but jurors all agreed, although this put the woman’s life in danger, it was not an attempt to murder her.
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.
Historic domestic violence
The jury unanimously agreed Gall had assaulted another woman multiple times between 2002 and 2004 at a property in Carnoustie and elsewhere.
He punched and slapped her on the head and body and seized hold of her hair.
Gall seized the woman by the neck, compressed it and restricted her breathing, rendering the woman unconscious, all to the danger of her life.
He was also found guilty of subjecting one of his victims to violence, as well as threatening her family during his later period of offending.
Already behind bars
Gall has been remanded since November 27 2019, the day after the fire and had been waiting more than three years for the trial.
The court heard Gall has nine previous convictions dating back to 2001 but has never served a prison sentence before.
Lady Drummond placed Gall on the Sex Offenders Register and told him: “These are very serious charges and you will be sent to prison for a significant period of time.”
He will be sentenced at Edinburgh High Court on February 28 after a social work report has been completed.
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