An unrepentant rapist who subjected two women to sex attack ordeals has been jailed for 11 years, after a judge told him he had “shown not a shred of remorse”.
Shaun Stewart preyed on one victim repeatedly during a series of assaults at addresses in Fife during a catalogue of abuse that left her fearing she would be seriously hurt or killed.
High risk offender Stewart, who has amassed about 90 previous convictions, then went on to strike again when he raped a second woman and pushed her face into a pillow during a sex attack.
A judge told Stewart at the High Court in Edinburgh that one of the women had explained the serious and continuing consequences for her of his crimes.
No victim empathy
Lord Scott said that before the victim had been a bubbly and confident person and added: “Your serious sexual abuse changed her. She was scared of being seriously injured or killed.”
The judge said that Stewart has failed to acknowledge his “appalling behaviour” and shown no victim empathy.
He told him: “You have shown not a shred of remorse. I must proceed to sentence on the basis you are wholly unrepentant.”
Lord Scott said that Stewart had maintained he was innocent during an interview with a social worker preparing a report on him and claimed that he was the victim of a conspiracy.
He told Stewart, 33: “Only a custodial sentence is appropriate. It is necessary to punish you and to seek to deter you and others from behaving in this way.”
High risk of reoffending
The court heard that Stewart, formerly of Keir Hardie Street, Methil, was assessed as posing a high risk of similar offending.
Lord Scott said he noted that Stewart has suffered from anxiety and depression.
He ordered that the rapist should be supervised in the community for a further two years when he will be on licence and can be returned to prison if he breaches its conditions.
Stewart had denied a series of charges during an earlier trial but was convicted of three crimes of rape committed between 2010 and 2021.
During attacks on one of the victims he subjected her to throttling after seizing her by the neck and restricting her breathing. The woman was also hit on the head and kicked on the body.
Defence counsel Rosalyn McTaggart said Stewart was young at the time of some of the offending and had suffered adverse childhood experiences.
Stewart was placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely after sentencing. Lord Scott made non harassment orders banning Stewart from contacting or attempting to contact victims for an indeterminate period.
For more local court content visit our page or join us on Facebook.
