A man who abused multiple women over a period of 20 years at locations across Scotland, including at T in the Park at Kinross, has been jailed.
A sheriff described the near-two decades of conduct as the most sustained period of domestic abuse and violence he had ever seen.
Jamie McGough, 36, forced one woman to submit to internal examinations to prove she had not been having sex with anyone else.
He demanded she save her underwear so that he could inspect it.
Another woman was repeatedly punched, spat on and struck in the face with a pair of boots.
A third woman had a knife thrown at her.
The abuse took place between 2005 and 2024 at locations in Falkirk, Stenhousemuir and Airdrie, as well as at the Kinross music festival.
McGough had previously pled guilty to the charges at Stirling Sheriff Court.
Horrific abuse
McGough’s most recent victim, a mother-of-one from the Falkirk area, was subjected to nearly two years of “truly horrific” controlling and abusive behaviour, even after they broke up.
The court heard McGough told her her house and car would be set on fire and he smashed his way into her home with a garden rake at 6am.
He accused her of infidelity, threatened to post intimate images of her online because she was not doing what he wanted and one Christmas Eve, demanded she sent him a video of her pants so he could “check” them.
He set up location history on her phone without permission and repeatedly demanded photos and videos to confirm where she was and with whom.
The court heard on two occasions he physically examined her to see if she had been sexually active with another man, even though she made clear her reluctance by telling him what he was doing was “degrading and not normal”.
After they had split up, he suddenly sent her a WhatsApp message saying he was coming from North Lanarkshire to her new home in Falkirk as he “needed comfort”.
He backed the message up by sending one video of himself smashing a bottle and holding it, saying “I’m coming through, trust me” and another from a taxi.
He arrived at her house at 9.30pm and when she refused to let him in, he pulled her Ring doorbell from the wall and said he would burn the house.
He also phoned her from jail and she had to get the prison authorities to block him from calling.
T in the Park assault
His North Lanarkshire victims, also then partners of his, were assaulted at addresses in Airdrie and in T in the Park, struck with Timberland boots and Ugg boots, spat on, repeatedly beaten with household objects, and grabbed.
One had a kitchen knife thrown at her. It missed but lodged in the wall behind her.
His other victim was assaulted at the music festival when he became annoyed she was on the phone to her mother.
He repeatedly punched and spat on her until stewards and police intervened.
Sentencing
McGough, of Salsburgh, North Lanarkshire, pled guilty to two charges of assault and another of subjecting a partner to a course of abusive behaviour.
Sheriff Derek Hamilton jailed McGough for 39 months, plus an extension of two years during which he can be recalled to prison if he offends again.
After reading background reports, he placed him on the sex offenders register for 10 years and imposed a non-harassment order banning him from any contact with his most recent victim for five years.
He told him: “You have sought, as reported by the social worker, to minimise your behaviour.
“You inflicted a catalogue of physical and mental abuse and at times sexual abuse, over a period of many, many years and involving a number of women.”
Sheriff Hamilton said McGough’s record showed during the total period covered by the charges, he had also been convicted of other domestic offences.
He said: “I doubt if I’ve seen a more sustained period of domestic abuse and violence.
“Your behaviour must have been terrifying for your victims.
“The catalogue of controlling behaviour which you subjected (your last victim) to over a period of almost two years was truly horrific.
“The physical abuse, which included sexual abuse, was no less so.
“Such was your persistence that even when you were separated from her you continued to abuse her physically and emotionally.”
He noted McGough had shown little remorse and tried to blame his victims.
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