Rapist who carried out 'appalling' abuse against two vulnerable women in the Highlands jailed

A rapist who subjected vulnerable young women to a series of crimes of sexual, physical and emotional abuse has been jailed for seven years.

A judge told Owen Lonie that he was a young man when he committed the crimes and added: “But in your short life you have managed to commit an appalling catalogue of offences against two young women.”

Judge Michael O’Grady KC said Lonie’s offending was “grave” and told him: “They are grave because they are cruel and cowardly. They are crimes of violation and humiliation.”

The judge said such crimes struck “at the very heart of the victim’s self-worth and confidence” and often blighted lives.

Mr O’Grady told Lonie, 25, that the offences “spoke volumes about your attitude towards women” and added: “It is abundantly clear you were and are a danger to women.”

He said at the High Court in Edinburgh: “You deny your guilt. You show no insight. You show no remorse.”

The judge ordered that Lonie should be under supervision in the community for a further five years following his prison term.

During that time Lonie, formerly of Strathpeffer, in the Highlands, will be on licence and can be returned to jail if he breaches its terms.

Lonie had earlier denied a series of charges but was convicted of six offences – two of rape, two of assault and two of abusive behaviour.

His offending began in March 2018, when he was aged 17, and continued until November 2022. The crimes were committed at addresses in Dingwall, Alness and villages in the Highlands.

During attacks on his first victim he repeatedly punched her, choked her, pushed her resulting in a fall, hit her on the head with a mobile phone and tried to get her to self harm.

Lonie also shouted and swore at her, made threats, damaged property and urinated on her dog during the abuse he perpetrated against the victim. He committed sex attacks against the victim and raped her.

He also assaulted and raped a second woman after she woke up from sleep after earlier subjecting her to a separate sex attack. He shouted and swore at her, threw household items, punched and kicked holes in doors, pushed and grabbed her and repeatedly hit her on the leg with a mobile phone during abuse.

Advocate depute Ali Murray told the court that both women expressed a desire that non harassment orders should be made for as long a period as possible.

The judge ordered that Lonie should be subject to such orders for 20 years, prohibiting him from contacting or attempting to contact victims.

He was placed on the sex offenders’ register.