A sex attacker who attempted to murder two women has been jailed for 12 years.
David Cooper, 47, preyed on his victims at various locations in Scotland, including Stirlingshire, across two decades.
Cooper choked one woman, repeatedly struck her head against a dashboard and also raped her.
A second rape victim was also strangled and threw down a set of stairs.
Another woman was thrown out of a moving car by Cooper at a roundabout.
Cooper was found guilty at the High Court in Glasgow to a string of charges which included the rape and attempted murder of one woman.
He was also convicted of attempted murder and stalking of a second victim.
Woman attacked in caravan park
Cooper was further found guilty of three rapes against another woman and abducting a fourth.
The charges span between October 2003 and April 2022 at various properties in Lanarkshire and a caravan park in Stirling.
Claims that one of the charges were religiously aggravated were deleted.
Judge Lord Mulholland imposed a 14-year extended sentence on Cooper, 12 of which will be behind bars.
The judge told Cooper that he carried out a “catalogue of abusive behaviour” upon them.
He said: “Your course of conduct was against four different women.
“They were brave in telling the court what you did. You tried to murder two of them.
“You pushed one woman from a moving vehicle – it was breathtaking and it was callous.
“You raped this same woman, having raped another woman.
“You are a danger to women and this court will protect women from you.
“No remorse has been shown and you have involved yourself in victim blaming – that’s a matter for you.
“It is not the victims’ fault that you are in this predicament – it is your sexual conduct which has put you in the dock awaiting sentence.”
Life time non-harassment orders were granted which prohibits Cooper from contacting his victims.
Held knife to victim’s throat
Court papers state that Cooper carried out a murder bid on one woman by throwing her down a set of stairs and seizing her on the neck.
Cooper drove dangerously while uttering threats to kill her and undid her seatbelt. He then went on to strike her head against a dashboard.
He also put a knife against the woman’s throat and threatened to kill her.
The same woman was also raped at properties in Motherwell and Bellshill, Lanarkshire.
Cooper carried out a second murder bid on another rape victim by choking her and throwing her down the stairs.
He also punched and kicked her on the head and body as well as drove in a dangerous manner while uttering threats to kill her.
Cooper repeatedly raped a third woman at properties in Larkhall and Kirkmuirhill, Lanarkshire.
One of the attacks took place while his victim was asleep.
Cooper on a separate occasion covered the woman’s mouth and nose and drove in a dangerous manner while she was a passenger.
He then went on to push her from a moving vehicle to her severe injury and danger of life.
A fourth woman was abducted at a property in Larkhall where he grabbed her by the neck and spat on her face.
He later repeatedly struck her head against a motor vehicle window to her injury.
‘Reprehensible’
Donald Findlay KC, defending, told the sentencing: “The starting point for all of this was the woman being outside the car at the roundabout when she should have been in it.
“It is right to say whatever the circumstances, Mr Cooper accepts that it was reprehensible.
“He recognises and appreciates that it is inevitable that you will impose a significant prison sentence.”
For more local court content visit our dedicated page or join us on Facebook.
