A young sexual assault victim from Fife used social media to contact others preyed upon by her abuser and bring him to justice.
The woman went online to urge others targeted by Darren Gibson to speak to detectives.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard how the female, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was targeted by Gibson in 2008 and 2009 when she was aged just 12-years-old.
He repeatedly had unlawful sex with her at locations in Kelty.
Prosecutor Bill McVicar said in the years following, the woman realised she was the victim of sexual assault and strove to bring to justice Gibson, now 32.
He said: “The complainer publicised her concerns about the conduct of the accused on social media with a view to encouraging other girls who had been involved with him to come forward and support her intended report to the police.
“When she did make her report, she provided details of the other complainers, all of whom she had been in contact with.”
Rapes and assaults
On Thursday, Gibson, of Kelty pled guilty to rape, sexual assault and threatening behaviour before judge Lord Young.
The court heard how Gibson sexually abused five women between 2008 and 2019.
Mr McVicar told the court Gibson had unlawful sex with two other schoolgirls.
He sexually assaulted another female in 2014, who woke one evening to find him lying on top of her.
Mr McVicar said: “The complainer was alarmed and shouted out, asking the accused what he was doing, to which he replied: ‘I’m not finished yet’.
“The complainer asked ‘finished what? I was sleeping’ to which he replied ‘we are having sex’.”
“The complainer told the accused ‘no’ and explained to him that they were not going to have sex as she was sleeping.
“The accused became abusive when the complainer refused to have sexual intercourse and went into a mood, falling asleep.”
Sentencing in Dundee
The court also heard how Gibson raped another woman in 2018 – again while she was sleeping.
Mr McVicar said: “The complainer felt pain.
“The complainer managed to push him away and exclaimed she had been sleeping to which the accused replied ‘you were up for it’.”
Mr McVicar said police arrested Gibson in February 2022.
Defence advocate Mark Stewart KC told Lord Young he would to reserve his mitigation until a sentencing hearing, after reports are prepared, at the High Court in Dundee on October 9.
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