Horrifying Easter Ross sex attack man faces 'lengthy' jail term

A FORMER Easter Ross man who subjected women to terrifying sex attacks is today behind bars after being found guilty of a series of horrifying offences dating back almost two decades.

William Beattie (51), formerly of an address in Fearn, in Easter Ross, was on Tuesday led to the cells following a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh.

He has been told to expect “a lengthy period of imprisonment” ahead of his sentencing, expected to take place next month.

A 39-year-old woman told the trial how she woke to find Beattie using the barrel of a weapon to abuse her.

Beattie, now of Cook Street, Glasgow, denied all the charges against him, dismissing the women's stories as "a pile of rubbish".

Calling for background reports, judge Lord Uist told Beattie: "On any view you will be sentenced to a lengthy period of imprisonment."

The trial heard how the 39-year-old woman - who cannot be identified for legal reasons - suffered physical violence at Beattie's hands, as well as being forced into sex.

He locked her in a house in Alness, tied her to a bed and poured wax on her body. Beattie was also found guilty of threatening her, throwing her against a wall and pushing her down a flight of stairs and squeezing her throat until she passed out.

A second victim, aged 50, told how Beattie forced her to perform sex acts. He soaked her with water as she slept, to make her share a bed with him. Beattie also threatened her with a knife, stabbing it into a door as they argued.

A 65-year-old woman described how Beattie forced his way into her home in Invergordon and subjected her to physical and sexual violence.

Giving evidence, Beattie said he was shy and found relationships with women difficult. His accusers were the ones who had made the running and consented to sex, he claimed.

He said his father kept legally held shotguns locked in the cellar of his home, according to regulations. Beattie denied ever using one to threaten a woman.

The 65-year-old had hidden his boxer shorts after an encounter, he said, then phoned his girlfriend to get him into trouble.

He also told the jury that she had attacked him with a carrot, then told all his friends, for a laugh.

"It was funny for her but not so funny for me," Beattie protested.

During the trial Beattie was cleared of allegations that he had poisoned fish in a garden pond, vandalised a car and daubed offensive graffiti on the wall of a house in Invergordon.

He is due back in court next month.